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 wiped off the 26,000 miles on the odometer of a Cybertruck in service, scratched the vehicle, and then returned it to the owner like nothing happened.
A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Oregon was quite surprised when he went to pick up his Cybertruck, which was in service to install a new lightbar, fix some panel gaps, and figure out an ABS alert that wouldn’t go away.
According to a thread on the Cybertruck Owners Club, Tesla had wiped the odometer clean on the Foundation Series ‘Cyberbeast’, which had over 26,000 miles on it.
The owner shared a video of the Cybertruck’s odometer going from 0 to 1 mile for the second time:
The odometer on the vehicle was wiped and both the app and service many also showed the same mileage.
The owner shared a screenshot of the app after 15 miles:
He went to the online forum for advice:
Anyone else have their odometer Thanos-snapped after a controller swap? Can Tesla unsnap it or am I forever “True Mileage Unknown”?
Interestingly, Tesla is currently being sued for allegedly messing with the odometers of its vehicles. However, the lawsuit is for accelerating the mileage, not reducing it, like in this case.
It was not the only surprise from this service visit for this Cybertruck owner.
The owner was not satisfied with the lightbar installation, which he claims has a half-inch gap on the passenger side while it is flush on the driver side. He wrote:
It’s basically smiling sideways at everyone.
It’s also unclear why Tesla was messing with the vehicle’s tailgate, but it ended up having a bolt moving around it, causing scratches and Tesla left a bolt unbolted:
At this point, the truck was returned with more problems than it had when it entered service.
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Nissan is on the brink of collapsing. After the Honda deal fell through, it looks like another Japanese automaker is tossing it a lifeline. As Nissan struggles to stay afloat, Toyota is emerging as a potential “backer” in a new tie-up.
Are Toyota and Nissan partnering?
“If we don’t take action now, the situation will only get worse,” Nissan’s President, Ivan Espinosa, said during a press conference on May 13.
Facing falling sales, ballooning debt, and slumping profits, Nissan introduced a new recovery plan last week, “Re:Nissan.” The struggling automaker aims to cut costs by 250 billion yen to return to profitability by FY 2026.
As part of its efforts to turn the business around, Nissan will cut 20,000 jobs by FY2027. It’s also abandoning plans to build a new EV battery facility in Japan. Seven other plants will be closed, including one in Thailand and two in Japan.
After its planned EV merger with Honda fell through in February, rumours surfaced that Nissan was scrambling to find another partner.
According to a new report from Japan’s MainiChi, a Toyota executive recently reached out to Nissan about a potential partnership. The tie-up could involve Toyota acting as Nissan’s “backer” to support it while it restructures.
Nissan and Toyota both unveiled a wave of new electric vehicles set to roll out over the next few years. The upgraded Nissan LEAF EV will arrive in the US and Canada later this year with more range, an NACS port, and a new crossover style. It will be one of ten new Nissan or Infiniti models to arrive by 2027.
In Europe, Nissan will launch the next-gen LEAF later this year, followed by the new Micra EV and Qashqai electric crossover. In 2026, the new Nissan Juke EV will join the lineup.
Meanwhile, Toyota’s upgraded bZ electric SUV (formerly the “bZ4X”) will arrive at US dealerships in the second half of 2025.
In 2026, the smaller C-HR electric SUV and rugged bZ Woodland EV will follow. By the end of the year, Europe will see three new Toyota electric SUVs: the C-HR+, Urban Cruiser, and upgraded bZ4X.
Electrek’s Take
Toyota already has a stake in several Japanese automakers, including Subaru (20%), Mazda (5.1%), Suzuki (4.6%), and Isuzu (5.9%), so backing Nissan wouldn’t come as a shock.
Espinosa said Nissan was open to new partnerships. Nissan’s chief said the company will continue collaborating with others, including Mitsubishi, which will use the upcoming LEAF as the basis for its new EV for North America.
Japanese carmakers have been notoriously slow in shifting to all-electric vehicles, which is now costing them in key overseas markets like Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and others.
Chinese EV leaders, like BYD, are quickly expanding overseas to drive growth this year. Next year, it will launch its first kei car (see the first spy shots), or mini EV, which is already being called “a huge threat” to Japan.
Pooling resources and teaming up may be the best (or only) option at this point. Can Toyota help Nissan turn things around? Or will it be too little, too late? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Check back soon for details. This is a developing story. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
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