Kia just notched its best first-quarter sales performance since it began selling cars in 1962. With its first electric sedan, the EV4, launching this year, Kia says its sales run is just getting started.
Kia had its best sales start in company history in 2025
After a major brand revamp in 2021, which included a new logo, slogan, and design, Kia is already reaping the benefits.
The South Korean automaker sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first three months of 2025, topping its previous record of just over 765,100 set in the first quarter of 2024.
Kia sold 637,051 vehicles in overseas markets, 134,412 in Korea, and another 888 “special vehicles” in Q1 2025. The milestone comes after back-to-back record global sales years in 2023 and 2024.
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Kia’s new look isn’t the only thing drawing buyers to the brand. It also has some of the most efficient, affordable electric cars on the market.
As part of its plans to offer “EVs for all,” Kia is launching a new lineup of mass-market electric vehicles. The EV5, a smaller electric SUV, was the first to launch in China in late 2023, starting at around $20,000 (149,800 yuan).
Kia followed it up with the EV3, another compact electric SUV, last year. Kia’s vice president Won-Jeong Jeong called it a “game-changer” after securing over 10,000 orders in Korea within a month.
Kia EV3 EU spec in Frost Blue (Source: Kia)
Even more growth on the way?
The EV3 debuted in Europe last November, starting at around 36,000 euros ($39,000). According to Kia, the compact electric SUV is already helping draw in new buyers.
A company official said that the EV3, alongside the new Sportage and Sorento, “led to strong sales last year, recording the best first-quarter sales ever.”
Kia EV4 sedan (Source: Hyundai Motor)
With new models, including its first electric sedan, Kia says this could be just the start. The company official added, “We will continue the sales momentum with competitive new models such as the EV4 and Tasman,” Kia’s midsize pickup.
Kia opened EV4 pre-orders in Korea last month for under $30,000 (41.92 million won). Jeong said the electric sedan will “present a new direction in the domestic electric vehicle market, which has been formed around SUVs.”
Kia EV4 hatchback GT-Line (Source: Kia)
Later this year, Kia will launch the EV4 globally, including in the US and Europe. A hatchback version (that actually looks pretty sleek) is also set to roll out, aimed at the European market.
Kia also confirmed this week that the EV6 and EV9 are in full-scale production at its West Point, Georgia, Plant.
2026 Kia EV9 GT (Source: Kia)
The company said the move will help “further accelerate the growth of Kia’s electric vehicle sales” in the US, one of its most important markets.
And this is just the start. Kia is launching a new lineup of electric vans as it expands into new segments. Its first, the PV5, is a midsize electric van expected to rival the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.
Genesis is gearing up to introduce its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), the GV70. Ahead of its debut, the Genesis GV70 EREV was spotted in Korea, offering a closer look at the upcoming SUV.
Genesis prepares for its first EREV, the GV70
The luxury automaker is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a slate of new EVs, hybrids, and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) set to arrive over the next few years.
During its CEO Investor Day last month, Hyundai revealed plans to launch several new Genesis vehicles, including its first EREV.
First up will be the Genesis GV70 EREV, promising to deliver over 1,000 km (620 miles) of driving range. The electrified SUV will still run on a 100% electric motor, but a small gas engine acts as a generator to charge the battery when it becomes low, thereby extending the driving range.
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Although the Genesis GV70 EREV isn’t due out for another year or so, we are already getting our first look at the new extended-range electric SUV.
Genesis plans to launch new luxury EVs, hybrids, and EREVs (Source: Hyundai)
The folks at HealerTV spotted the new vehicle parked in South Korea, giving us a better idea of what to expect when it arrives.
Although it’s still covered in camouflage, you can see it’s nearly identical to the current gas-powered GV70. At least from what we can see, the front and back ends look about the same.
We also got a sneak peek at the interior, which also appears to be essentially unchanged. Genesis just introduced an updated interior and exterior design on its current vehicle lineup, so no major changes are expected.
Since it’s still a prototype, the design could change by the time it hits the market, which is expected in December 2026.
Genesis will launch its first hybrid next year, the GV80 SUV, which is expected to be followed by the GV70 EREV later in the year. Following that, at least two new luxury SUVs will join the lineup, based on the Neolun (pictured on the left) and X Gran Equator concepts (pictured on the right).
The Neolun is expected to arrive as the Genesis GV90, an “ultra-luxe” flagship electric SUV, while the X Gran Equator will be an off-roader.
Genesis plans to expand into up to 20 European markets while boosting brand sales in the US with its new lineup. By 2030, the luxury brand aims to sell 350,000 vehicles globally.
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Austin-based Base Power just raised $1 billion in Series C funding to accelerate its mission to modernize the Texas grid, one home battery at a time.
Addition led the round, with support from existing and new investors. The fresh capital will help Base scale up operations, grow its team, and build out domestic manufacturing to meet surging demand for resilient, distributed home batteries.
Base Power is a licensed electricity provider operating in Texas’s deregulated electricity market, and it functions as a virtual power plant (VPP). Its model is simple but transformative: customers pay a monthly fee for energy, installation, and a home battery – no rooftop solar required. When the grid is up, Base’s networked batteries help stabilize it; when it goes down, the battery keeps the lights on at home.
“The chance to reinvent our power system comes once in a generation,” said Zach Dell, Base Power’s CEO and cofounder. “We’re scaling the team to make our abundant energy future a reality.”
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In under two years, Base has already deployed more than 100 megawatt-hours (MWh) of residential battery capacity, making it one of the fastest-growing distributed energy platforms in the US. The company’s rapid growth has been fueled by organic customer demand, partnerships with major homebuilders like Lennar, and collaborations with forward-thinking utilities.
Base Power currently serves homeowners across the Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin regions, and plans to expand nationwide. To support that growth, the company is building its first factory, an energy storage and power electronics manufacturing hub at the former Austin American-Statesman printing press site in downtown Austin.
The company also recently qualified for Texas’s Aggregated Distributed Energy Resource (ADER) program, which allows distributed batteries to participate directly in the grid market. That means extra reliability for the state and lower costs for customers through shared revenue from grid services.
“The only way to add capacity to the grid is by deploying hardware — and we need to make that here in the US, ourselves,” said Justin Lopas, Base’s COO and cofounder. “This factory in Austin is our first, and we’re already planning for our second. We’re building the tools and systems to reindustrialize America and reinvent the grid.”
Electrek’s Take
Texas’s grid struggles, from heatwaves to winter blackouts, make Base Power’s model timely. Linking home batteries to a virtual power plant offers home backup and grid support. (I was part of a VPP in Vermont, and I can’t stress enough how great it is, especially in power outages.)
With $1 billion in new funding and a planned Austin factory, Base aims to scale fast. For context, Tesla deployed over 31 GWh of storage in 2024, but that figure includes utility-scale Megapacks as well as residential Powerwalls because Tesla didn’t separate out the two in its report. Sunrun’s VPPs now include 20,000+ customers across nine states, and it supplies significant grid support in California. Base’s 100 MWh so far is much smaller, but as a licensed electricity provider, not just a technology platform, its focused Texas rollout and participation in the state’s ADER program could position it as a nimble challenger in the growing VPP space.
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GM is ending plans for a program that enabled its dealers to extend the $7,500 tax credit for new Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac EV leases beyond the September 30 deadline. Instead, it has another plan to keep the savings going.
GM ends $7,500 EV tax credit and plans its own savings
After the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles expired at the end of September, GM was among the automakers planning to extend the incentive through leasing.
That will no longer be the case after the automaker suddenly reversed its decision. According to Bloomberg, GM will not extend the credit for EVs that were in transit to dealers ahead of the September 30 deadline.
Instead, GM will provide about $6,000 from its own pockets for a limited time to continue supporting electric vehicle leases.
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A company spokesperson confirmed that “GM worked on an extended offer for the benefit of our customers and dealers,” adding “After further consideration, we have decided not to claim the tax credit.”
The savings will last until the end of the month. The spokesperson said in an email that “GM will fund the incentive lease terms through the end of October.”
Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)
GM and Ford announced programs last week that involved buying EVs through their financing units, which would enable them to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit. The companies would then use the funds to extend the credit through leasing.
A source close to the matter told Reuters that GM decided to end the program after Republican Senator Bernie Moren urged the end of the loophole that enabled the $7,500 credit to be passed on through leasing.
Cadillac ESCALADE IQL electric SUV (Source: Cadillac)
The announcement comes after GM delivered a record of over 66,500 electric vehicles in the third quarter. Through September, GM sold 144,668 EVs, more than double the amount it sold in the same period in 2024.
The Chevy Equinox EV is now the best-selling non-Tesla EV in the US, while Cadillac ranked as the top luxury electric vehicle brand in Q3.
Chevy Blazer EV (left), Chevy Equinox EV (middle), Chevy Silverado EV (right) (Source: GM)
Ford, Jeep maker Stellantis, and BMW are still planning to extend the credit for those EV leases for at least another few months. GM was expected to extend the offer until the end of the year.
GM already has one of the most affordable EVs in the US with the Chevy Equinox EV starting at under $35,000. In 2026, it will face a wave of new lower-priced EVs, including the new Nissan LEAF, which will start at under $30,000. General Motors is betting on more affordable EVs, including the 2027 Chevy Bolt, to gain a bigger share of the market over the next few years.
Interested in testing out one of GM’s electric vehicles for yourself? From the Chevy Equinox EV to the Cadillac Escalade IQ, you can use our links below to see what’s available near you.
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