Kia to begin EV9 production in the US by May, expects $7,500 EV tax credit eligibility by 2025
Kia’s first three-row electric SUV is off to a good start. However, Kia will accelerate EV9 momentum with plans to begin US production by May. Kia expects the EV9 will qualify for the full $7,500 EV tax credit by early next year.
Kia to kick off US EV9 production in May
After launching the EV9 in the US late last year, Kia has handed over 3,839 models in the US. Starting under $55,000, Kia calls its electric family move an “industry wake-up call.”
Despite the strong start, Kia expects the momentum to pick up. Kia currently builds the EV9 in Korea but expects to move production to the US by the end of May.
Kia America’s head of corporate communications, James Bell, told Nikkei that moving EV9 production to its West Point, GA plant will enable it to qualify for a part of the EV tax credit. The EV9 is expected to qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit by early 2025.
The EV9’s batteries are still made in South Korea and China, but Kia will begin sourcing from its EV battery plant in Savannah, Georgia.
Bell said the facility will have dedicated EV and battery assembly sections. Production is expected to start by the end of this year or early 2025.
“We’re off to a good start,” Bell said. However, “we feel maybe a little bit limited because of the incentives,” he added.
Bell said US buyers thinking, “Maybe it’s time for an EV for my family,” automatically look toward Tesla. Kia wants “to get the second look, based on the virtues of the machine.”
When asked if Kia is worried about cheaper EVs from China, Bell said the automaker welcomes the new competition.
“If anything, I think it’s going to be helpful to have lower price [cars] because it will get more people to experience electric vehicles,” Bell explained.
|
Kia EV9 Trim |
MSRP (including $1,495 destination fee) |
EPA Est. Range (miles) |
| Light RWD | $56,395 | 230 |
| Light Long Range RWD |
$60,695 | 304 |
| Wind e-AWD | $65,395 | 280 |
| Land e-AWD | $71,395 | 280 |
| GT-Line e-AWD | $73,900 | 270 |
In the meantime, Kia is offering big incentives to help offset the EV tax credit. Kia is offering $5,000 in customer cash on all 2024 EV9 trims. With that included, the EV9 starts at just $51,395.
If you’re interested in Kia’s new three-row electric SUV, we can help you get started shopping today. You can use our link to find great deals on the 2024 Kia EV9 at a dealer near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Trump says he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran after imposing ‘maximum pressure’
Vammo, a battery-swapping service for electric motorcycles in Latin America, has just announced that the company has surpassed an impressive 1 million battery swaps in a little over a year.
The company has built its service around a combination of VMoto electric motorcycles and a battery-swapping service designed to keep those motorcycles rolling all day without stopping to charge.
Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Vammo’s electric motorcycles and battery swap cabinets currently serve around 1,800 customers, with that number growing quickly. The service was launched just over a year ago and has already saved its customers a combined US $1.3 million in fuel costs. That’s on top of preventing the release of 3,050 tons of CO2 emissions.
Vammo’s subscription model saves users as much as 50% compared to gasoline-powered motorcycles, translating into annual savings of thousands of dollars. “Not only are we helping to cut carbon emissions by 85%, but we’re also putting significant savings back into the pockets of our customers,” said Jack Sarvary, Vammo’s co-founder and CEO. “Many of our users, especially delivery drivers, are saving as much as $2,000–$4,000 per year, making electric mobility both affordable and sustainable.”
That success has led to rapid growth for the company. Last year alone, Vammo saw 8x growth in both revenue and customer base.
“Our growth demonstrates the power of affordable, clean transportation,” said Billy Blaustein, Vammo’s COO. “We are proving that sustainable mobility can be both accessible and scalable.”
Vammo’s VMoto models have now become the #1 registered electric motorcycle brand in Brazil, likely making the company the top player in Latin America.
Battery swapping for electric motorcycles has gained significant interest in the last few years, especially as Gogoro has expanded its world-leading model for swappable electric scooter batteries. But unlike Gogoro, which built a swappable battery standard and then began persuading other companies to adopt it, Vammo built its service around existing electric motorcycles and their already operational battery designs.
Vammo began operations in São Paulo and has positioned its service as a solution not only for Brazil but also for broader Latin America.
Brazil is uniquely suited for electric motorcycles and battery swapping, as the country not only sells 4x the amount of motorcycles per year as the US, but has some of the cleanest electricity in the world. Over 90% of the country’s electricity is generated by clean sources, primarily hydroelectric power, with wind and solar also contributing to the mix. Compare that to the global average of just 13%.
Vammo is building on its momentum, recently announcing a partnership with app-based taxi provider 99, offering mototaxi drivers access to its electric motorcycles.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
TotalEnergies posts 21% drop in annual profit, targets buybacks of $2 billion per quarter in 2025
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports10 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway