Kia mulls EV plant in Thailand to take on Toyota and BYD with affordable electric cars
Can Kia challenge Toyota, which has dominated the market in Thailand, with affordable EVs? Chinese automakers like BYD are already stealing market share, but Kia is in talks over a new EV plant in Thailand that could help position itself as an early leader.
Affordable electric cars are coming
Kia has already revamped the brand as the industry transitions to electric with a new logo and design.
The Korean automaker is also seeing early success with its first three-row electric SUV, the EV9. Meanwhile, Kia has bigger (or, smaller and more affordable) plans.
Kia revealed a new EV lineup at its first EV Day in October. It confirmed that the EV5 electric SUV, a Volvo EX30 rival, will start at $35,000.
Two new concepts were unveiled at the event: the Kia EV3 and EV4. The EV3 is an electric crossover influenced that essentially shrinks the EV9 into a more compact and affordable package.
According to Kia, the EV4 is “an entirely new type of sedan.” Although its four doors suggest it is a sedan, the design stands as a symbol of innovation.
The new EVs are part of Kia’s plans to launch a wide-ranging EV lineup with prices from $30,000 to $80,000. Kia’s smaller EV5, EV4, and EV3 will be priced below $50,000 to promote widespread adoption of EVs.
Kia to take on Toyota, BYD with new EV plant in Thailand
Kia may bring these low-cost EVs to overseas markets like Thailand, where legacy automakers like Toyota have traditionally dominated sales.
According to two government sources (via Reuters), Kia is in talks to build an EV plant in Thailand to gain an early lead in the Southeast Asian nation.
The sources, who wished to remain anonymous, said the discussions were ongoing and incentive-based. “They have a serious proposal that they’ve come with,” one of the sources said. “The ball is in their court.”
Kia and Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) have yet to confirm. However, Thailand’s BOI said Kia was considering investing in the nation after media reports suggested the automaker moved in another direction.
Thailand is Asia’s largest car maker and exporter. The nation is seeing a surge in EV sales with hefty incentives, tax breaks, and other measures to promote domestic production. Thailand wants 30% of the vehicles built in the country to be electric by 2030.
Tesla is also in talks with Thailand over a new plant that could involve EV and battery production, according to an official earlier this week.
Although legacy automakers like Toyota and Honda have long dominated the market, Chinese automakers have committed to over $1.44 billion in EV investments.
BYD, the global EV leader, was Thailand’s best-selling electric car brand last year. Its Atto 3 electric SUV was the top-selling EV, with over 19,200 models handed over. The company’s first plant in the region is expected to begin production this year. Once up and running, BYD aims to produce 150,000 EVs a year.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
First Solar just cut the ribbon on a huge new factory in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, and it dwarfs the New Orleans Superdome. The company’s $1.1 billion, fully vertically integrated facility spans 2.4 million square feet, or about 11 times the size of the stadium’s main arena.
The factory began production quietly in July, a few months ahead of schedule, and employs more than 700 people. First Solar expects that number to hit 826 by the end of the year. Once it’s fully online, the site will add 3.5 GW of annual manufacturing capacity. That brings the company’s total US footprint to 14 GW in 2026 and 17.7 GW in 2027, when its newly announced South Carolina plant is anticipated to come online.
The Louisiana plant produces First Solar’s Series 7 modules using US-made materials — glass from Illinois and Ohio, and steel from Mississippi, which is fabricated into backrails in Louisiana.
The new factory leans heavily on AI, from computer vision that spots defects on the line to deep learning tools that help technicians make real‑time adjustments.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says the investment is already a win for the region, bringing in “hundreds of good-paying jobs and new opportunities for Louisiana workers and businesses.” A new economic impact analysis from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette projects that the factory will boost Iberia Parish’s GDP by 4.4% in its first full year at capacity. The average manufacturing compensation package comes in at around $90,000, more than triple the parish’s per capita income.
First Solar CEO Mark Widmar framed the new facility as a major step for US clean energy manufacturing: “By competitively producing energy technology in America with American materials, while creating American jobs, we’re demonstrating that US reindustrialization isn’t just a thesis, it’s an operating reality.”
This site joins what’s already the largest solar manufacturing and R&D footprint in the Western Hemisphere: three factories in Ohio, one in Alabama, and R&D centers in Ohio and California. Just last week, First Solar announced a new production line in Gaffney, South Carolina, to onshore more Series 6 module work. By the end of 2026, the company expects to directly employ more than 5,500 people across the US.
Read more: First Solar pours $330M into a new South Carolina solar factory
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
No, it’s not the new Bolt. GM’s design team previewed a new high-riding “sporty Chevrolet EV” that should be brought to life.
Is Chevy launching a new sporty EV?
This is the all-electric vehicle Chevy should sell in the US. General Motors’ design team released a series of sketches previewing a sporty new Chevy EV.
Although it kinda looks like the new 2027 Chevy Bolt EV as a higher-sitting compact crossover SUV, the design offers a fresh take on what it should have looked like.
The new Bolt is essentially a modernized version of the outgoing EUV model with a similar compact crossover silhouette. Nissan adopted a similar style with the new 2026 LEAF as buyers continue shifting from smaller sedans and hatchbacks to crossovers and SUVs.
Will we see the sporty Chevy EV in real life? It’s not likely. For one, the “exploration sketch” is by GM China Advanced designer Charles Huang.
GM Design posted the sketches on its global social media page, but the caption read “Sporty Chevrolet EV for the China Market.”
It’s too bad. The Bolt could use a sporty sibling like an SS variant. Chevy introduced the Blazer EV SS (check out our review) for the 2026 model year, its fastest “SS” model yet. Packing up to 615 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, the Chevy Blazer SS can race from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds when using Wide Open Watts (WOW) mode.
Will the Bolt be next? I wouldn’t get my hopes up. And if GM does bring the sporty Chevy EV to life, it will likely only be sold in China. Like all the fun cars these days.
What do you think of the design? Would you buy one of these in the US? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
While deliveries of the 2027 Bolt are set to begin in early 2026, Chevy is offering some sweet deals on its current EV lineup, including up to $4,000 off in Customer Cash and 0% APR financing for 60 months.
Ready to test drive one? You can use our links below to find Chevy Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs at a dealership near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Podcast: Electricity is the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, new Porsche Cayenne EV, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss electricity becoming the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, the new Porsche Cayenne EV, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024