Kia EV5 is sadly not coming to the US, but it will arrive next door with an NACS port
Although we were pulling for it, Kia’s affordable EV5 electric SUV will not arrive in the US. In a rare move, Kia is planning to launch the entry-level EV next door in Canada next year, and it will even include an NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers.
Kia will launch the EV5 in Canada but not the US
We got our first look at the EV5 when it made its global debut at the Chengdu Motor Show in China in August 2023.
The EV5 was showcased during Kia’s first annual EV Day later that year, alongside the EV3 and EV4 concepts. The new models are part of Kia’s entry-level EV lineup as it expands into the mass market.
Although we were hoping Kia would bring the EV5 to the US, it doesn’t look like that will happen. Kia announced it will launch the EV5 “exclusively for the Canadian market in North America.” The electric SUV is expected to arrive at dealerships across Canada in 2026.
“Upon launch, EV5 will mark an important milestone as we introduce this vehicle as an affordable option” in Canada’s most significant segment, David Sherrard, Kia Canada’s director of strategic planning, said.
The EV5 will also feature a native North American Charging Standard (NACS) port for charging at Tesla Superchargers. Kia said the port will allow owners to access 61% more DC fast chargers.
Kia’s smaller SUV will be available in FWD and AWD powertrains with two battery sizes: 60.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh.
Although more information, including prices and specs, will be revealed closer to launch, the EV5 is expected to start at around $40,000 to $50,000 and have a range of up to 300 miles.
Kia will introduce the EV5 at the Canadian International Auto Show on February 14. Stay tuned for prices and additional specs.
Electrek’s Take
Why would Kia launch the EV5 in Canada, with a Tesla NACS port, and not the US? There could be several reasons. For one, it’s not made in the US, meaning it wouldn’t qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, putting it at a disadvantage to domestic rivals.
On the other hand, America loves bigger SUVs and trucks. Kia already has the three-row EV9, which sold over 22,000 units in 2024. The smaller EV6, which has been on the market since 2022, had 21,715 in sales.
The EV5 is already a hit in China, where it was first launched. Despite an intensifying price war, Kia’s low-cost electric SUV has helped the company turn things around in the world’s largest EV market.
Weda Kia, Kia’s joint venture in China, sold more than 248,200 vehicles last year, up nearly 50% from 2023. This was also Kia’s first time crossing the 200K sales mark since 2020. The biggest reason was the EV5. After selling 26,550 vehicles in June, Kia sold over 20,000 units every month through the end of 2024.
Kia launched the EV5 in China in November 2023, starting at just 149,800 yuan, or around $20,000. Not only did it hit the market at a lower price than expected, but it also undercut several top sellers, including Tesla’s Model Y, starting at 249,900 yuan ($35,000).
At 4,615 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,715 mm tall, the EV5 is about the size of a Tesla Model Y (4,760 mm long x 1,921 mm wide x 1,624 mm tall).
Tesla’s Model Y was again the best-selling EV in the US last year by a wide margin. With over 372,600 units sold, the Model Y accounted for 28.6% of the market, according to Cox Automotive data.
So why wouldn’t Kia bring the EV5 to the US? Would you buy one for around $40,000 to $50,000? Let us know in the comments.
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Tesla has started to offer discounted financing on Cybertruck as the electric pickup truck undoubtedly turns out to be a flop.
Tesla claimed over 1 million reservations for the Cybertruck, and CEO Elon Musk said he could see Tesla producing 500,000 units per year.
However, that was before Tesla announced that the production version would be much more expensive and have a shorter range than what was initially announced.
The Cybertruck has now been in production for a year and a half, and it looks like Tesla would be lucky to sell about 10% of Musk’s goal of 500,000 units.
The automaker doesn’t report Cybertruck sales, but it is estimated that Tesla delivered roughly 40,000 Cybertrucks in 2024, and it is expected to have even more issues selling the truck this year.
Tesla has taken several steps to help sales.
We reported that Tesla launched Cybertruck leases to help move vehicles. The company is even still tucked with “Foundations Series” Cybertrucks, and we found out that Tesla buffed “Foundations Series” badges out of some trucks to sell them as cheaper regular Cybertrucks.
For the remaining “Foundations Series,” which there still are despite Tesla switching to regular Cybertruck production in October, Tesla has even offered free Supercharging for life.
Now, Tesla is stepping up its game, and it is offering discounted financing on new Cybertruck orders:
Tesla announced 1.99% APR for a limited time:
1.99% APR available for a limited time for well-qualified buyers
WIthout the “promotion”, the rate for excellent credit is 5.84%.
While Tesla is discounting the rates, it is not discounting them as much as for new Model 3 orders.
We reported earlier this week that Tesla offers 0% and 0.99% with $0 down on new Model 3 orders in the US until the end of the quarter.
Electrek’s Take
It is very possible that Tesla can’t sell more than 10,000 Cybertrucks this quarter, which would extrapolate to 40,000 units per year or less than 10% of what Elon said he would see Tesla delivering.
Now, the cheaper single motor Cybertruck should help, but by how much? It could bring Tesla to 20-30% of the volume Elon saw possible?
I think it’s fairly clear that the Cybertruck is a flop.
Tesla launched a single new vehicle in the last 5 years and it is a flop.
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Environment
Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China and it crashed the server starting at just $15,000
Toyota looks to grab a bigger share of the world’s largest EV market as it takes aim at BYD and other low-cost leaders. On Thursday, Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X, starting at roughly $15,000. The new electric SUV crashed the server with over 10,000 orders in an hour.
Meet Toyota’s cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X
The bz3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV” in China and its cheapest EV to hit the market so far.
Toyota’s Chinese joint venture, GAC-Toyota officially launched the “Bozhi 3X,” or bZ3X for short, in China on March 6. Shortly after, the company said orders for its new electric SUV were “so popular that the server crashed” after revealing prices start at just over $15,000 (109,800 yuan).
After securing over 10,000 orders in just one hour, Toyota boasted again that “the server is overwhelmed.” The launch comes after blind pre-orders opened in December, starting at just under $14,000 (100,000 yuan).
The bZ3X is available in two versions, with or without its full-scenario smart driving tech. The non-smart tech model starts at 109,800 yuan ($15,000) with five trim options while the smart driving model starts at 149,800 yuan ($20,500).
For 159,800 yuan ($22,000), the range-topping “610 Max” trim provides up to 610 km (379 miles) CLTC range from a 67.92 kWh LFP battery. The base “430 Air” gets up to 430 km (267 miles) from a 50.03 kWh LFP battery pack.
Toyota said the interior provides “a mobile space that is comfortable as home,” with front and rear seats that can fold down to provide nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of space.
Inside, the electric SUV has a 14.6″ infotainment screen with voice recognition and an 8.8″ driver display. It also includes a two-spoke multi-function steering wheel.
Toyota’s new bZ3X is its first vehicle with the Momenta 5.0 Intelligent Driving System. Powered by NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin X, it comes with 25 ADAS features, such as parallel parking, remote control parking, high-speed pilot, light traffic assist, and blind spot monitoring.
GAC-Toyota claimed it will be “one of the first automakers in the world to realize a one-stage end-to-end intelligent driving model.” With human-like intelligence, the vehicle “gets smarter and better with use.”
At 4,600 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,645 mm tall, Toyota’s cheapest EV in China is about the size of BYD’s Yuan Plus (Atto 3) at 4,455 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. Starting at 115,800 yuan ($16,000), Toyota’s new bZ3X slightly undercuts BYD’s electric SUV.
What do you think of Toyota’s new electric SUV? Would you buy one for around $15,000? We’ll keep dreaming.
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