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Kia recently held its annual EV Day event overseas, and we were one of the select outlets invited to attend in person. During that time, Kia executives outlined the Korean brand’s global EV strategy, which reiterated its unwavering approach to going all-electric, bolstered by several new models that made global debuts, including the Concept EV2, PV5 lineup, and the Kia EV4, which we learned will officially be sold in the US.

Kia continues to establish itself as a bona fide mover in the EV segment as part of a larger electrification strategy from the parent company, Hyundai Motor Group. The Group’s decision to invest in advanced platform technology early on culminated in the E-GMP platform, the 800—or 400-volt nucleus of all its bespoke EV models. This platform has already paid dividends in the market growth of all its marques, particularly Hyundai and Kia.

The Korean marque found early success with its EV6 and EV9 models and has since introduced several additional vehicles set to join the lineup, including the EV3, EV4, and EV5. Additionally, Kia shared plans to enter the commercial EV segment with a new lineup of modular BEVs called “Platform Beyond Vehicles,” or PBVs for short.

During Kia’s second annual EV Day event, these models and some additional surprises were on display in Tarragona, Spain. We were there in person to get an up-close look at the nine different models on display (see the video recap below) and have some exciting news to share about Kia EVs and the US market.

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Kia unveils EV4 and confirms it’s coming to the US

Much of Kia’s EV Day 2025 touched upon new models designed for Korean and European markets, hence why the event was held in Spain, but there were some juicy tidbits for North American customers, including news that the new EV4, which was unveiled in Tarragona, will enter the US market.

The EV4 initially debuted as a concept model at the 2024 LA Auto Show alongside the EV3 concept, which has since been confirmed for the US market. We have been covering all the glimpses of the EV4 since, which has expanded into sedan and hatchback configurations.

During EV Day 2025, Kia officially unveiled both four- and five-door versions of the EV4, described as an “athletic all-rounder launched to redefine the C-segment.” This is another core model in Kia’s global EV strategy and the automaker’s first dedicated sedan hatchback EV.

When it arrives, it will offer the best-in-class cabin and cargo space (490 liters in the sedan and 435 liters in the hatchback) and is currently being optimized to deliver the best-in-class EV range. Kia is also targeting another IIHS Top Safety Pick award for this model, and it will be the first in the EV lineup to feature over-the-air (OTA) updates available through the Kia App. Here are some key specs:

  • Battery size: Standard (58.3 kWh) and Long Range (81.4 kWh) packs will be available
  • The Long Range battery is expected to deliver up to 630km (392 miles) of WLTP range, and 430 km (267 miles) of range in the Standard model
    • The long-range hatchback version can deliver up to 590km (367 miles) of WLTP range
  • A full underbody cover contributes to aerodynamic performance and a drag coefficient of 0.23 Cd
  • A front-mounted 150 kW motor can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.4 seconds with the standard pack and 7.7 seconds with the long range battery.
    • Both battery variants can reach a top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph)
  • It features a 400V E-GMP platform, enabling the long-range pack to charge from 10-80% in 31 minutes (29 minutes for the standard pack)
  • Comes equipped with vehicle-to-load (V2L) (3.6 kVa) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) (10 kVa) capabilities with an 11 kW onboard charger

Here’s a closer look at the sedan version:

Source: Kia

The Kia EV4 will also arrive with new tech, including Digital Key 2.0, which allows your smartphone to act as a key and is compatible with Apple Watch. The BEV also features i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking, which we recently tested in the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Another feature is “Rest Mode,” which utilizes front-row relaxation seats and a mood lamp to create a comfortable atmosphere while parked and/or charging. Theater mode optimizes the dashboard’s 30″ display, mood lighting, and optional Harmon/Kardon 8-speaker sound system for video streaming on newly added services like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+.

Per Kia, the EV4 sedan will be built at its new EVO Plant in Korea, and the hatchback version will be built in Slovakia for targeted sales in Europe only. Sedan production will begin in Korea in mid-March, followed by hatchback production in the second half of 2025. Production for North America is planned for later this year, but we do not have a more concrete timeline yet.

Kia President Ho Sung Song told the crowd the automaker is targeting a build of 160,000 units of the EV4, 80,000 of which will be sold in North America. Kia said it targets a starting MSRP of 37,000 euros for the EV4. While we don’t have US pricing yet, Mr. Song told reporters the US dollar and Euro are pretty even right now, so we can expect US pricing to be similarly competitive to Europe, at least for the entry-level model.

Kia debuts the Concept EV2 alongside the EV4

In addition to the EV4, Kia unveiled its new Concept EV2 – its smallest BEV model to date, representing the automaker’s “vision for a B-segment all-electric SUV.—its smallest BEV model to date.” Per Kia President and CEO, Ho Sung Song:

The Kia Concept EV2 represents a bold step forward for the future of urban mobility. With the Concept EV2, we challenged ourselves to create a vehicle that defies expectations, offering innovative technology and practicality beyond its size. This concept previews Kia’s future vision to redefine the segment, bringing a new level of sophistication and usability to urban drivers. It’s a clear signal of our dedication to making electric vehicles truly accessible for everyone.

While the EV2 remains a concept for now, Kia expressed a goal to deliver a production version that closely resembles it. Kia’s executive vice president and head of global design, Karim Habib, told the media that it is much easier to accomplish on a vehicle’s exterior. Still, it will try to bring as many elements of the EV2 interior to the masses as well.

We hope Kia will continue to incorporate sustainable materials in the EV2’s interior as well as its unique seat configuration, which includes a folding second row, a sliding front bench, and rear-hinged back doors, which allow the BEV to open up for an innovative spot to hang out. Here’s a detailed look from Kia:

Source: Kia

Per Kia, the EV2 is targeting a starting MSRP of 30,000 euros but, unfortunately, is not planned for a US launch, just Europe and “other regions” in 2026.

Our best look at the PV5, which may or may not come to the US

In addition to the EV4 and Concept EV2 debuts, Kia also shared complete details of its PV5 EVs, the first model from its new PBV lineup to hit the market. The Korean automaker drove four unique variants onto the stage in Spain, showcasing the PV5’s modularity atop Kia’s new E-GMP.S platform, designed specifically for those vehicles. The “s” stands for “service.”

Kia describes the PV5 as a Car-Derived Van (CDV) offered in three body styles: Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab. The variants on display were Passenger, Cargo, Crew, and WAV, which stands for “Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle.”

While these are commercial BEVs at their core, Kia has taken a welcomed sales approach and will sell them to the public as well. That means the everyday consumer can get their hands on one and design it to their liking using Kia AddGear, enabling customers to choose from a wide range of custom accessories for personal and business use.

On the commercial side, Kia announced several partnerships to empower fleet customers with cutting-edge software with the help of companies like 42dot, Geotab, and Samsung. Furthermore, the PBV’s Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) will allow commercial customers to integrate their own software into fleets. Here are some key specs:

  • Choice of a 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh NMC battery pack for all versions, plus the option for an additional 43.3 kWh LFP battery in the PV5 Cargo
  • All versions feature a 150 kW front motor than can produce 250 Nm of torque
  • The PV5 Passenger with the larger pack delivers a range up to 400km (249 miles)
  • All versions can charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes
  • PV5 Passenger: A three-row seat configuration that can be optimized for luggage or camping scenarios and has been developed with ride-hailing use cases in mind (Kia has partnered with Uber)
  • The PV5 Cargo (High Roof): This variant offers up to 5.1 m³ of capacity, with standard, long, and high-roof options available. There is also an optional L-track mounting system and V2L functionality
  • The PV5 Chassis Cab: It will be delivered as an unfinished vehicle, with a shared cabin, which utilizes the front section of the PV5 Cargo. It was developed with modularity to support a range of conversion configurations, from Drop Side to Freezer Box models

Other variants in the works include the PV5 Crew, which features various cargo securing options like lashing points and L-tracks, plus the PV5 WAV (both pictured above), which comes equipped with a sliding ramp that supports up to 300 kg (661 lbs) and can be positioned on the road or the sidewalk, as well as hardware to secure the wheelchair during transit.

My first thought after seeing the modularity of the PV5 was “electric camper van,” so when I interviewed Mr. Song, it was the first thing I asked. The Kia President could not confirm a camper version of the PV5 or larger PV7 was coming but did say it was being discussed. You may remember Kia unveiled a similar PV5 concept called the WKNDR at SEMA 2024, so this feels imminent and could sell well. Furthermore, Kia’s press release outlining the 2025 Kia EV Day event specifically mentioned a camper option:

Additionally, Kia has developed the Flexible Body System, an innovative technology that enables the modular assembly of body components, akin to assembling a puzzle. This capability allows Kia to effectively address the diverse needs of its customers by providing standard models including Passenger, Cargo, Chassis-Cab, WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle), and Family. Additionally, it will feature conversion models including the Crew, Drop Side, Box Van, Freezer Box, Prime (advanced model based on Passenger), and Light Camper.

Kia said the PV5 Cargo will have a starting MSRP of 35,000 euros, including VAT, and other models will be “priced competitively.”

Like the EV4, the PBVs will be built at Kia’s new dedicated EVO plant in Korea, which also includes a conversion facility next door for those customized builds. Kia shared that PV5 sales will begin in Korea and Europe in July, followed by launches in additional markets in 2026. Conversion models are also expected to begin production “sequentially” between 2025 and 2026.

But will the PV5 come to the US? This question came up multiple times during executive interviews, but we still don’t have a concrete answer. Mr. Song confirmed that the PV5 would be sold in Canada but cited the United States’ “chicken tax” as a hurdle for market entry in the US.

Given that information, it is hard to believe Kia won’t find a workaround to get its PV5s imported into the US market, but that has been all but confirmed so far. That will undoubtedly be a process to keep an eye on.

Other key highlights from Kia EV Day 2025

Overall, EV Day 2025 showcased Kia’s continued dedication to BEVs and its impressive innovation in the space, including variety, modularity, and advanced technology. I always reiterate that Hyundai Motor Group appears to be doing everything right, and you can look at the growing global market share of both Hyundai and Kia in recent years as clear evidence of modularity.

What I found most impressive was President Song’s unwavering support of Kia’s all-electric future, which entails staying the course set out when the Korean automaker rebranded itself in 2021. Mr. Song said that the automaker has no plans to backtrack to ICE vehicles like some competitors. Tariffs came up a lot in interviews, and Mr. Song took a moment to gather his thoughts before addressing the looming threat to the room.

His sentiment was that the threat of tariffs in the US is scary, but it affects most automakers, not just Hyundai Motor Group. Kia plans to keep the best interests of its customers in mind. The location of EV production and its position in the market are key factors in its business strategy. Still, if tariffs arise, Kias is ready to pivot its strategy to continue providing customers with the best technology at a competitive price (again, there was no mention of steering away from BEVs at all). That’s refreshing to hear.

Chinese BEVs also came up in interviews, and Mr. Song’s response was forthcoming and honest (again quite refreshing from a CEO):

Chinese brands are a big burden to all OEMs. Their prices are significantly lower, and they’re growing in new markets. We are growing too. Maybe someone is losing market share, but we aren’t. We cannot catch up with that price gap, but will continue to improve our technology and customer experience.

Alongside potential plans for the PV5 in the US, Kia executives also told the media that it is exploring the possibility of bringing the EV5 to the US but cannot confirm anything at this time. So, in total, we know the US will see sales of the Kia EV3 and EV4 for sure; the PV5 and EV5 are question marks, and the EV2 is a definitive no.

Overall, Kia’s EV Day 2035 showcased the brand’s continued innovation and expansion into new segments led by some of the best bang for your buck in technology and charging capabilities. Like Hyundai, Kia is becoming an absolute vanguard in BEVs (one of its internal goals), which is why its market share continues to grow (see evidence above). Here’s an up-close look at some of the sights from EV Day 2025, including footage of the EV4 sedan, hatchback, and GT-Line.

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Podcast: Trump/GOP go after EV/solar, Tesla, Ford, GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more

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Podcast: Trump/GOP go after EV/solar, Tesla, Ford, GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, 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 Trump’s Big Beautiful bill becoming law and going after EVs and solar, Tesla, Ford, and GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more

Today’s episode is brought to you by Bosch Mobility Aftermarket—A global leader and trusted provider of automotive aftermarket parts. To celebrate Amazon Prime Day July 8th through 11th, Bosch Mobility is offering exclusive savings on must-have auto parts and tools. Learn more here.

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.

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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:

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Tesla prototype sparks speculation: a Model Y, maybe slightly smaller

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Tesla prototype sparks speculation: a Model Y, maybe slightly smaller

A new Tesla prototype was spotted again, reigniting speculation among Tesla shareholders, even though it’s likely just a Model Y, potentially a bit smaller, and the upcoming stripped-down, cheaper version.

Over the last few months, there have been several sightings of what appears to be a Model Y with camouflage around Tesla’s Fremont factory.

It sparked a lot of speculation about it being the new “affordable” compact Tesla vehicle.

There’s confusion in the Tesla community around Tesla’s upcoming “affordable” vehicles because CEO Elon Musk falsely denied a report last year about Tesla’s “$25,000” EV model being canceled.

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The facts are that Musk canceled two cheaper vehicles that Tesla was working on, commonly referred as “the $25,000 Tesla” in early 2024. Those vehicles were codenamed NV91 and NV92, and they were based on the new vehicle platform that Tesla is now reserving for the Cybercab.

Instead, Musk noticed that Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y production lines were starting to be underutilized as the Company faced demand issues. Therefore, Tesla canceled the vehicles program based on the new platform and decided to build new vehicles on Model 3/Y platform using the same production lines.

We previously reported that these electric vehicles will likely look very similar to Model 3 and Model Y.

In recent months, several other media reports reinforced this, and Tesla all but confirmed it during its latest earnings call, when it stated that it is “limited in how different vehicles can be when built on the same production lines.”

Now, the same Tesla prototype has been spotted over the last few days, and it sent the Tesla shareholders community into a frenzy of speculations:

Electrek’s Take

As we have repeatedly reported over the last year, the new “affordable” Tesla “models” coming are basically only stripped-down Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

They might end up being a little smaller by a few inches, and Tesla may use different model names, but they will be extremely similar.

If this is it, which is possible, you can see it looks almost exactly like a Model Y.

It’s hard to confirm if it’s indeed smaller because of the angle of the vehicle compared to the other Model Ys, but it’s not impossible that the wheelbase is a bit smaller – although it’s hard to confirm.

Either way, the most significant changes for these stripped-down, more affordable “models” are expected to be cheaper interior materials, like textile seats instead of vegan leather, no heated or ventilated seats standard, no rear screen, maybe even no double-panned acoustic glass and a lesser audio system.

As previously stated, the real goal of these new variants, or models, is to lower the average sale price in order to combat decreasing demand and maintain or increase the utilization rate of Tesla’s current production lines, which have been throttled down in the last few years to now about 60% utilization.

If this trend continues, Tesla would find itself in trouble and may even have to close its factories.

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Ethereum is powering Wall Street’s future. The crypto scene at Cannes shows how far it’s come

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Ethereum is powering Wall Street's future. The crypto scene at Cannes shows how far it's come

Ethereum succeeded beyond anyone's expectations, says network co-founder Vitalik Buterin at EthCC

CANNES — Wall Street’s new plumbing is being built on Ethereum and this week its architects took over the same French Riviera villas and red carpet venues that host the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The Ethereum Community Conference, or EthCC, took over the beachside town that was swarming with crypto founders, developers, and some of the institutional giants now building atop the infrastructure.

The crypto elite climbed the iconic red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals — a cinematic landmark now repurposed as the stage for Ethereum’s flagship European event.

“The atmosphere this year was palpable in Cannes,” said Bettina Boon Falleur, the powerhouse behind EthCC for the past seven years. “The prestige of the location, combined with the quality of talks, has reinforced Ethereum’s stature and purpose in the wider ecosystem.”

Private parties sprawled across cliffside estates and exclusive resorts, but the conversations were less about price action and more about the blockchain’s evolving role as the back-end of global finance.

EthCC, now in its eighth year, has tracked Ethereum’s trajectory from scrappy experiment to institutional backbone.

“That impact was unmistakable this year,” Falleur said. “From Robinhood embracing decentralized finance infrastructure via Arbitrum to local governments like the City of Cannes exploring deeper integration with the crypto economy.”

Indeed, one of the boldest moves came this week from Robinhood, which became the first publicly traded U.S. company to launch tokenized stocks on-chain.

At a product showcase held inside a Belle Époque mansion overlooking the sea, Robinhood unveiled a sweeping new crypto strategy — including the ability for European users to trade tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs via Arbitrum, a Layer 2 network built on Ethereum.

The announcement helped push Robinhood stock past $100 for the first time, capping off a week of fresh all-time highs and a more than 30% rally since being snubbed by the S&P 500 during a recent rebalance.

Inside the Palais des Festivals, ETHCC draws founders, developers, and institutions into the same halls that host the world’s biggest film premieres — this time, for the future of finance.

MacKenzie Sigalos

Ether, the token native to the Ethereum blockchain, was up nearly 6% on the week and several public equities tied to the blockchain have rallied alongside it.

BitMine Immersion Technologies, a company that mines bitcoin, gained more than 1,200% since announcing it would make ether its primary treasury reserve asset. Bit Digital, which recently exited bitcoin mining to “become a pure play” ethereum staking and treasury company, gained more than 34% this week. And SharpLink Gaming, which added more than $20 million in ether to its balance sheet this week, jumped more than 28% on Thursday.

Ether ETF inflows are rising again too — a sign that institutional investors are warming back up.

Ether is still down more than 20% this year and lags far behind bitcoin in market cap and adoption. But funds tracking ETH have seen two straight months of mostly net inflows, according to CoinGlass data. Still, ether ETFs total just $11 billion — compared to $138 billion in bitcoin ETFs.

Institutions aren’t betting on Ethereum for hype — they’re betting on infrastructure.

Even as prices stall and the network faces headwinds from slower base layer revenues and faster rivals like Solana, the momentum is shifting toward utility.

“Ethereum is getting plugged into these core transactional systems,” Paul Brody, global blockchain leader at EY, told CNBC on the sidelines of EthCC. “Investors, savers, people moving money — they are going to start shifting from some of the older mechanisms of doing this into Ethereum ecosystems that can do these transactions faster, cheaper, but also very importantly, with significant new functionality attached to it.”

Crypto founders and developers climb the iconic red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals — a familiar backdrop for the Cannes Film Festival, now repurposed for Ethereum’s flagship European event.

MacKenzie Sigalos

Deutsche Bank recently announced it’s building a tokenization platform on zkSync — a faster, cheaper blockchain built on top of Ethereum — to help asset managers issue and manage tokenized funds, stablecoins, and other real-world assets while meeting regulatory and data protection requirements.

Coinbase and Kraken are also racing to own the crossover between traditional stocks and crypto.

Coinbase has filed with the SEC to offer trading in tokenized public equities, a move that would diversify its revenue stream and bring it into more direct competition with brokerages like Robinhood and eToro.

Kraken announced plans to offer 24/7 trading of U.S. stock tokens in select overseas markets.

BlackRock‘s tokenized money market fund, BUIDL — launched on Ethereum last year — offers qualified investors on-chain access to yield with redemptions settled in USDC in real time.

Stablecoins, meanwhile, continue to serve as the backbone of Ethereum’s financial layer.

Circle’s USDC — the second-largest stablecoin — still settles around 65% of its volume on Ethereum’s rails. According to CoinGecko’s latest “State of Stablecoins” report, Ethereum accounts for nearly 50% of stablecoin market share.

“The builders and contributors at EthCC aren’t chasing the next bull run,” Falleur said, “they’re laying the groundwork to make Ethereum home for the next billion users.”

Even as newer blockchains tout faster speeds and lower fees, Ethereum is proving its staying power as a trusted network.

Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, told CNBC in Cannes that there is an assumption that institutions only care about scale and speed — but in practice, it’s the opposite.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin delivers a keynote at ETHCC, laying out the network’s next steps — and its values test — as institutional adoption accelerates.

EthCC

“A lot of institutions basically tell us to our faces that they value Ethereum because it’s stable and dependable, because it doesn’t go down,” he said.

Buterin added that firms often ask about privacy and other long-term features — the kinds of concerns that institutions, he said, “really value.”

Tomasz Stańczak, the new co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, said institutions are choosing Ethereum for the same core reasons.

“Ten years without stopping for a moment. Ten years of upgrades, with a huge dedication to security and censorship resistance,” he said.

He added that when institutions send orders to the market, they want to be “absolutely sure that their order is treated fairly, that nobody has preference, that the transaction actually is executed at the time when it’s delivered.”

Those guarantees have become increasingly valuable as stablecoins and tokenized assets move into the mainstream.

The Senate’s recent passage of the GENIUS Act, along with Circle’s IPO, gave the industry a regulatory tailwind and helped reinforce Ethereum’s role as the infrastructure layer for tokenized finance.

Ethereum’s core values — neutrality, security, and censorship resistance — are emerging as competitive advantages.

The real test now is whether Ethereum can scale without losing its values.

“We don’t just want to succeed,” Buterin said from the mainstage of the Palais this week. “We want to be something that is worthy of succeeding.”

He said the hope is that future generations will look back and see a network that truly delivered openness, freedom, and permissionless access to the masses.

White-clad guests dance poolside at the rAAVE party in Cannes.

MacKenzie Sigalos

But the week didn’t end in the conference halls, it closed with tradition. On the balcony of Villa Montana, overlooking the Bay of Cannes, the rAAVE party lit up.

White-clad guests sipped cocktails as the DJ spun by the pool, haze curling from smoke machines.

This year, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov and DeFi icon Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave, stood atop the balcony overlooking the crowd and the light-dotted skyline of Cannes.

It was a fitting snapshot of the momentum behind Ethereum’s institutional rise and symbolic of Web3’s shift from niche experiment to financial mainstay.

WATCH: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev explains ‘dual purpose’ behind trading platform’s new crypto offerings

Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev explains 'dual purpose' behind trading platform's new crypto offerings

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