Kia Launches BEV-Only Manufacturing Plant Overseas – EVO

If there’s one automaker that we can depend on to make good on their promises, it’s the Kia Corp. Back in 2018, Kia announced a new GT-lineup, and every new model has a GT-Line or GT trim level these days. A year later, Kia announced it would be the next all-electric automaker, and every year, Kia has one or two new electric concepts hitting center stage. Most recently, Kia Corp claimed it would start making smaller, more affordable vehicles for its consumers with the release of the EV3. And just like that, Kia held an opening ceremony for its first EV-only plant, “EVO,” dedicated to manufacturing low-cost Kia EV3 and EV4 models.

Wow, now that’s an automaker that puts its money where its mouth is. In 2022, Kia announced the production of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) at the Georgia Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant by 2025, and beat it by a year with production of the Kia EV9 at the West Point, Georgia Plant. The only issue is a lot of the automaker’s current manufacturing plants are busy with gasoline models taking up space on the assembly line. To make sure the automaker can continue to bring BEVs to America, Kia would eventually need a home for its upcoming concepts. That’s why the EVO Plant is officially the first EV-only plant, owned by the Kia Corp and parent group Hyundai Motor Group (HMG).

“The completion of the Kia Gwangmyeong EVO Plant marks the first step for Kia to become a leading electric vehicle brand,” – Choi Joon-young, Kia CEO.

Ready to introduce a new lineup of electric vehicles, Kia will be using this facility to produce the next generation of BEVs on the drawing board as well as those that recently debuted. Yes, that includes the Kia EV3 and EV4 concepts. No longer just concepts, the EV3 was revealed in May 2024, and spy shots of the EV4 testing overseas have recently surfaced. The former already has a lot going for it with the Kia Connect subscription service and Kia Connect Store Apps, offering consumers the ability to fully customize the feel and look of the interior cabin as well as add more capability.

In terms of affordability, just look at this lineup for the Kia EV3. Set up with four trim levels, Standard, Earth, GT-Line, and Long Range, the starting MSRP for the EV3 is $30,700 (plus destination fee). The most expensive of the lineup, the Long Range trim, doesn’t even crack $35k, starting at $34,100 (plus destination fee). This trim also makes the most of the incentives Kia is offering consumers, shaving off $1900. Even though the EV3 and EV4 will first launch overseas in South Korea next summer, the automaker has already made bank, securing over 10,000 reservations in less than a month. We thought the Kia EV6 and Kia EV9 were the game changers for the automaker, but the Kia EV3 and EV4 definitely take the cake.

We can’t wait for new Kia BEVs to land state-side now that Kia has its own BEV-dedicated assembly plant. If you want to find out when the new Kia EV3 and Kia EV4 make it to America, be sure to follow along with us on Miami Lakes Automall social media.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media