Kia held an opening ceremony for its first EV-only plant, “EVO,” as it looks to establish itself as a leading electric vehicle maker. Kia’s new low-cost EV3 and EV4 models are the first electric cars scheduled for mass production. The new facility will kick off a new era for Kia, with the capacity to build 150,000 EVs annually.
Kia opens its first EV-only plant to boost output
The EVO Plant is the Hyundai Motor Group’s first EV-only plant. Kia held the completion ceremony on Friday at Autoland Gwangmyeong in South Korea.
“The completion of the Kia Gwangmyeong EVO Plant marks the first step for Kia to become a leading electric vehicle brand,” Kia’s CEO, Choi Joon-young, said at the event. Kia will use the facility to boost the output of its next-gen electric vehicles.
With the EV3 already in mass production, Kia is preparing to “show you a new history of electric vehicles.”
After opening EV3 pre-orders in Korea in June, starting at just $30,700 (KRW 42.08 million), Kia’s compact electric SUV secured over 10,000 reservations in just 23 days. The company is already calling the EV3 a “game-changer” in its home market.
In Europe, the Kia’s new EV starts at around $40,000 (36,0000 euros) with up to 372 miles (599 km) WLTP range.
Kia EV3 (Source: Kia)
The EV3 is Kia’s third dedicated all-electric vehicle, following the EV6 sedan and three-row EV9 SUV.
“A new history of electric vehicles”
In the first half of 2025, Kia will begin building its first compact electric sedan, the EV4. According to Kia, the EV4 is an “entirely new type of EV sedan. “
Like the EV3, Kia’s smaller electric sedan will pull much of the design and tech from its flagship EV9.
Kia EV4 (left) and EV3 (right) Source: Kia
We’ve already caught a glimpse of the EV4 after it was spotted in Europe testing in July. Last month, a hatchback model was also caught testing, likely aimed at the European market (you can see the video here).
The EV4 is expected to start in the $35,000 to $40,000 price range, with deliveries scheduled for next year.
Kia EV3 trim
Range
Starting Price
Starting Price After Incentives
Standard
217 mi (350 km)
$30,700 (KRW 42.08 million)
$29,200 (KRW 39.95 million)
Earth
Standard: 217 mi (350 km) Long Range: 311 mi (501 km)
$33,400 (KRW 45.71 million)
N/A
GT Line
Standard: 217 mi (350 km) Long Range: 311 mi (501 km)
$34,100 (KRW 46.66 million)
N/A
Long Range
311 mi (501 km)
$34,100 (KRW 46.66 million)
$32,200 (KRW 44.15)
Kia EV3 price and range by trim in Korea
A Kia official said the “EV3 and EV4 will play a very important role in popularizing electric vehicles.” They added, “We will show you a new history of electric vehicles at the Gwangmyeong EVO Plant.”
Kia will use its new EVO plant as a key production base. It will have the capacity to build 150,000 EVs annually.
Kia opens its first EV-only plant (Source: Hyundai Motor Group)
As early as next month, Hyundai will open its massive new $7.6 billion Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. The facility just secured its 18th supplier this week as it builds an extensive US network.
The first vehicle to roll off the assembly line will be the new 2025 IONIQ 5 with more range and a Tesla NACS charging port. Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, the IONIQ 9, will also make its first appearance later this year.
To further reduce EV costs, Hyundai and Kia launched a new LFP battery project this week to develop new battery materials for safer, lower-priced electric vehicles.
Source: Hyundai Motor Group
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Hyundai offered a first look at the hot hatch earlier this week after unveiling the Concept Three, its first compact EV under the IONIQ family. The new EV, set to arrive as the IONIQ 3, already has a sporty, hot hatch look, but that could be just the start.
Hyundai has a new EV hot hatch in the making
The Concept Three took the spotlight at IAA Mobility in Munich with a daring new look from Hyundai. Based on its new “Art of Steel” design, the concept is a stark contrast to the Hyundai vehicles on the road today.
Hyundai took the “Aero Hatch” design to the next level, deeming it “a new typology that reimagines the compact EV silhouette.” And that it does.
When it arrives in production form in mid-2026, it’s expected to take the IONIQ 3 name as a smaller, more affordable sibling to the IONIQ 5.
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Hyundai is set to unveil the electric hatchback next spring with an official launch planned in Europe in September 2026. According to Hyundai’s European boss, Xavier Martinet, the IONIQ 3 could make for the perfect EV hot hatch.
The Hyundai Concept THREE EV, a preview of the IONIQ 3 (Source: Hyundai)
Martinet hinted that the IONIQ 3 could receive the “N” treatment, telling Auto Express that “The concept is quite sporty, and obviously you have heritage with N brand.” Hyundai’s European boss added that “it’s a fair topic to consider.”
Although it doesn’t sound too convincing, Hyundai’s head of design, Simon Loasby, called it “an opportunity.” Loasby was quick to add, “We’re not calling it N, it’s not approved yet.”
The Hyundai Concept THREE EV, a preview of the IONIQ 3 (Source: Hyundai)
“But I think everyone in the company is realising what Europe needs, and that’s compact hot hatches, so it’s a topic for discussion,” Hyundai’s design boss added.
The Concept Three is 4,287 mm long, 1,940 mm wide, and 1,428 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,722 mm, or about the size of the Kia EV3 and Volkswagen ID.3. Both of which are set for hot hatch variants.
The Hyundai Concept THREE EV, a preview of the IONIQ 3 (Source: Hyundai)
If the IONIQ 3 N does come to life, it will be the third Hyundai EV to receive the high-performance upgrade, following the IONIQ 5 N and IONIQ 6 N.
The IONIQ 5 N “was just the first lap,” according to Joon Park, vice president of Hyundai’s N Brand Management Group. He told Auto Express that Hyundai is “at the starting line” and plans to apply what it learned from its first EV hot hatch to upcoming models.
If you’re looking for an affordable electric hot hatch, Hyundai already offers one. After Hyundai cut lease prices last month, the IONIQ 5 N is now listed at just $549 per month. That’s $150 less per month than in July.
The global wind industry is going to hit some unprecedented growth milestones, according to Wood Mackenzie’s Global Wind Power Market Outlook for Q3 2025. The world is on track to add its second terawatt of wind capacity by 2030. To put that in perspective, it took 23 years to install the first terawatt, which was reached in 2023. The second will come in just seven.
Wind is also set for a record-breaking year in 2025. Global additions are expected to reach 170 gigawatts (GW), with more than 70 GW coming online in the last quarter of the year alone. That means Q4 could add more capacity than the total installed in any full year before 2020.
This forecast represents a 13% jump from the previous quarter, primarily driven by explosive onshore growth in China. Global wind capacity is expected to double from 2024 levels by 2032. Outside of China, the industry is also expanding, though on a slower path. Excluding China, the world will reach 1 terawatt in 2031 and double 2024 capacity by 2034.
However, policy uncertainty and the Trump administration’s hostility toward the wind industry, particularly offshore wind, are negatively impacting the US market. Trump’s big bill act (OBBBA), passed in July 2025, ends tax credits after 2027. That’s sparked a rush of projects in the short term, but it drags down the long-term outlook. For the first time, the US has fallen behind India and Germany in forecasted 10-year additions.
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“China’s dominance in the wind industry is becoming more pronounced,” said Sasha Bond-Smith, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “While other established markets struggle with policy uncertainty and economic headwinds, we’re witnessing an unequalled concentration of growth in China that’s reshaping the industry landscape.”
China’s onshore forecast jumped this quarter thanks to rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification. Wind is proving more profitable than solar in liberalized power markets, but China’s offshore wind sector is facing challenges. Sea-use conflicts are slowing or even halting projects already under construction.
Despite those hurdles, Wood Mackenzie now projects that wind could match solar’s power output in China over the forecast period. That would cement wind’s central role in helping the country meet climate goals while keeping up with surging power demand.
Elsewhere, onshore wind remains steady across Europe, Asia Pacific, and emerging markets, with tender results and pipelines supporting progress. Offshore wind is struggling, though. High costs and failed tenders are creating setbacks in Europe and delays in emerging markets. Policymakers are under pressure to rethink contract structures to keep projects moving.
“The wind industry’s most significant transformation in decades continues to unfold,” said Kárys Prado, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “While achieving historic scale, success will depend on how effectively the industry navigates this new geography of growth and adapts to evolving policy landscapes.”
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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 Tesla unveiling its new Megablock product, bunch of new EVs at IAA, the debacle at Hyundai’s plant, and more
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