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Kia updated its electric vehicle strategy Wednesday at its CEO Investor Day 2023 in Seoul, Korea. The automaker says it’s now aiming to sell 1.6 million EVs by 2030, up 400,000 from the previous guidance of 1.2 million.

With Kia forecasting 4.3 million overall sales by then, it would mean EVs would only account for 37% of all sales.

Kia raises EV sales goal to 1.6 million by 2030

After a record year in 2022 coming off a fresh brand overhaul, Kia looks to keep the momentum rolling. The South Korean automaker revealed its “Plan S” strategy in 2020, designed to transition the company to an EV-focused brand and boost sales.

In fact, Kia has completely transformed its brand, including changing the company name (from Kia Motors to Kia) and introducing a new logo.

Last May, Kia unveiled its first dedicated fully-electric vehicle, the high-flying EV6 crossover, based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, the same one the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 models ride on.

The company established its “opposites united” design approach, which has been its guiding philosophy for the new EVs like the flagship EV9, Kia’s first seven-seat SUV, and the smaller upcoming EV5 electric SUV.

Kia EV6 GT (Source: Kia)

Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, announced today that the automaker will accelerate its efforts to become an “EV tier 1 brand.” To do so, Kia has developed four pillars:

  1. Introduce a full EV lineup including 15 models as of 2027.
  2. Increase EV sales goal to 1.6 million by 2030, up 400,000 from the previous 1.2 million guidance.
  3. Advance battery technology from Gen 3 to Gen 5 (which Kia says will increase energy density by 50%) and secure a stable battery supply chain.
  4. Install 3,500 ultra-fast chargers in Korea by 2025 while partnering globally to expand charging infrastructure.

As an interim target, Kia is aiming to sell over 1 million electric vehicles by 2026, representing a 25% increase from its previous plans. The South Korean automaker has its first dedicated EV plant opening in 2024 in Gwangmyeong, South Korea, where two new EV models will be built.

Kia’s first target will be selling 258,000 electric vehicles by the end of the year as it works to establish its position in the new EV era.

Electrek’s Take

Although Kia adjusting its EV sales goal higher is great, it still only represents 37% of the automaker’s total sales target for 2030.

Several automakers are already selling double-digit (or 100%) EV sales by now, while other legacy automakers like Ford, GM, and Stellantis are aiming for 40% to 50% by the end of the decade, which is low in itself.

Tesla sold 1.2 million zero-emission EVs alone in 2022, and another record first quarter with over 422,000 deliveries.

Earlier this year, Polestar’s head of sustainability, Fredrika Klarén, called out legacy automakers, saying there is no place for mass-produced non-EV models after 2030.

Klarén said Polestar is basing its assessments on a science-based approach, and anyone claiming they will fix it by 2040 or 2050 is not listening, because we will have already missed our goal, going on to explain:

We only have seven years left until we hit 1.5 degrees global warming. That’s a fact if we continue on the route we’re heading into. So, anything after 2030, we’re not interested.

We don’t have time to wait until after 2030, especially not with only 37% EV sales. More needs to be done including ending ICE vehicle production.

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EcoFlow Halloween Sale continues up to 65% discounts from $149 + flash sale, Lectric XPress 750 e-bikes with up to $542 bundles, more

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October 17, 2025

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EcoFlow Halloween Sale continues up to 65% discounts from 9 + flash sale, Lectric XPress 750 e-bikes with up to 2 bundles, more


Where yesterday’s Green Deals were Anker-heavy, we’re closing out this week with this EcoFlow-heavy edition, led by the brand’s Halloween Sale that is continuing early Prime Day pricing with up to 65% discounts, bonus sitewide savings, free gifts, and more. Among the condensed lineup, you can grab the DELTA Pro Portable Power Station with two 220W solar panels and a free protective bag at $1,709. There’s also the brand’s 48-hour flash sale of up to 62% discounts on four offers, like the RIVER 2 Portable Power Station at $179. From there, we also have a spotlight on Lectric’s XPress 750 Long-Range Commuter e-bikes getting up to $542 in free gear and mystery gifts at $1,299, as well as a $950 discount on Vanpower’s City Vanture e-bike, a 2-in-1 Greenworks combo tool low, a 43-gallon composting tumbler, and more waiting for you below. And don’t forget about the hangover deals that are collected together at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s full Lectric Spooky Sale lineup with up to $762+ savings, the 10 exclusive refurbished Anker SOLIX deals, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

EcoFlow’s Halloween Sale continues up to 65% discounts with bonus savings, free gifts, more – all starting from $149

EcoFlow has launched its Halloween Sale that is only running for a week (but might be extended), which is bringing back the next-best early Prime Day rates at up to 65% off alongside some new units, complete with bonus sitewide savings, a FREE gift after spending $2,000, a promotion to score an additional 10% off code, and even a three-hour-only flash sale on a number of units at midnight on October 19. Among the smaller collection of deals we’re seeing, a great tried-and-true option is the DELTA Pro Portable Power Station bundled with two 220W solar panels and a FREE protective bag for $1,709.05 shipped, after using the sitewide code 25EFHWAFF at checkout for an extra 5% off, which beats Amazon’s pricing by $190 (and doesn’t include the FREE bag). Carrying a $5,199 MSRP, but more often keeping down around $3,999 on average, we saw the brand’s Prime Day sale drop this bundle to its $1,699 low, with things today sitting only $10 above that rate, giving you the second-lowest price we have tracked. Head below for more on this and the rest of the deals we’re seeing during this sale.

As I mentioned, EcoFlow’s Halloween Sale is offering a nice little collection of promotions (and more) during this sale. The first, of course, is the extra 5% sitewide savings you’ll score by using the code 25EFHWAFF at checkout. From there, the brand is offering members a chance to unlock a 10% discount code by checking in for five days straight on the sale’s main page. Next, orders that reach $2,000 will also be given a FREE 220W solar panel. Lastly, when the clock ticks over to midnight on October 19, you’ll have only three hours to take advantage of the flash offers that are located at the bottom of the sale page (and currently locked).

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One of the most highly rated legacy backup power companions, EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro power station covers short-term off-grid living (more so with the solar panels bundled) and emergency blackouts alike, all with a starting 3,600Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can be expanded upwards to 25kWh over time with further investments.

It boasts a robust array of 14 output ports to cover devices and appliances, delivering a steady stream of power up to 3,600W, with the ability to surge higher to 7,200W, if needed. There are three primary ways to recharge its battery: plugging into a standard AC outlet or your car’s auxiliary/cigarette lighter port as you drive, as well as utilizing up to its 1,600W solar input maximum.

***Note: None of the following prices have had the extra 5% or 10% codes applied, so be sure to use 25EFHWAFF at checkout, or the 10% code if unlocked, to score the very best deals during this sale.

EcoFlow returning Prime Day top picks:

EcoFlow’s Halloween Sale home backup deals:

EcoFlow’s Halloween Sale outdoor power deals:

EcoFlow’s Halloween Sale add-on accessory deals:

As I mentioned, be sure to check back at midnight, October 19, for those three-hour flash offers. And right now, you can find the EcoFlow offering a 48-hour flash sale with four units on the Halloween Sale’s main landing page here. You can also check out our coverage of how to score $1,000 off EcoFlow’s upcoming DELTA Pro Ultra X Power Station ahead of its launch on November 3. 

woman walking Lectric XPress 750 e-bike down sidewalk

Get up to $542 in FREE gear with Lectric’s XPress 750 long-range commuter e-bike at $1,299

Looking back in on Lectric’s ongoing Spooky Sale, which is offering up to $762 in FREE gear with e-bike purchases along with select mystery gifts, we noticed a great chance to pick up the popular XPress 750 Long-Range Step-Thru Commuter e-bike getting a $439 bundle at $1,299 shipped, while the step-over model gets a slightly smaller $404 bundle at the same price – and both getting mystery gifts. These packages at full price would cost you $1,738 and $1,703 without the discounts on the bundled gear, which beats out both the Prime Day Sales’ bundle sizes from July and last week. Those bundles provide you with a rear cargo rack, a fender set, a suspension seatpost, and an Elite headlight upgrade – with the difference being in the mystery gift amounts ($103 vs. $68).

If you want to learn more about this specific e-bike, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here, while folks wanting to browse the entire Lectric Spooky Sale lineup can do so here.

man powering phone outdoors with ecoflow's RIVER 2 portable power station

Save up to 62% on two EcoFlow power stations and/or two accessories for 48 hours starting from $179

As part of EcoFlow’s ongoing Halloween Sale, the brand is offering 48-hour flash savings on four units – two power stations and two accessories – all at up to 62% off. Among the lineup, you’ll find the more compact RIVER 2 Portable Power Station down at $179 shipped, beating out its Amazon pricing by $10. Normally $239 when at full price, we saw this same rate pop up for a few days during last week’s Prime event, with the brand providing another opportunity here while the flash savings last. While we have seen the price go lower in the past, you’re looking at the best rate tracked since May, cutting $60 off the going rate and giving you a compact companion for powering devices while away from home or civilization. Head below for more on this station and the other flash offers.

If you want to learn more about this specific power station, or the full lineup of offers, be sure to check out our original coverage of this 48-hour flash sale here.

man standing with Vanpowers City Vanture e-bike outside brick building

Get up to 50 miles of pedal-assisted commuting support with Vanpower’s City Vanture e-bike at $799 (Save $950)

Vanpowers is bringing back an earlier fall promotion on its City Vanture Urban Commuter e-bike at $799 shipped, after using the code VANVIP at checkout. The price here starts with a cut from $1,749 to $1,099, which gets an additional $300 savings thanks to the code, which is a repeat combo discount that we last saw at the top of September. All-in-all, you’re getting a $950 markdown that drops things to the best price directly from the brand, which has only been beaten by a one-time exclusive Wellbots deal from January.

If you want to learn more about this lightweight commuter, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

Greenworks 2-in-1 24V cordless pole saw and pole hedge trimmer combo with battery and charger

Get 2-in-1 functionality with Greenworks’ 24V cordless pole saw and pole hedge trimmer at a $200 low

At Amazon, you can pick up a newer generation of the Greenworks 24V 10-inch Cordless Polesaw and Pole Hedge Trimmer Combo with 4.0Ah battery for $199.99 shipped, which matches in price directly from the brand’s website. It’s coming down from $261 here ($300 MSRP direct from the brand), with discounts through mid-June having taken things down to this same low rate before only dropping costs as low as $242 in the time since. The deal here gives you a $61 markdown that returns the price to the lowest we have tracked for the fourth time this year.

If you want to learn more about this 2-in-1 tool, be sure to check out our original coverage of this deal here.

woman loading scraps into east oak compost tumbler in yard

Best Fall EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.


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Kia has another EV on the way, codenamed ‘CB’

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October 17, 2025

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Kia has another EV on the way, codenamed 'CB'

Kia-new-EV-CB

Kia plans to introduce a new electric vehicle, codenamed CB, to its growing lineup. The new EV is part of an agreement that Kia reached with its union this week.

Kia agrees to build a new EV in Korea

While many automakers are scaling back, Kia is doubling down on electric vehicles, batteries, and other EV technology.

After reaching an agreement with its labor union on Tuesday, we are learning Kia has another EV in the pipeline, and it’s not the EV2, EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, or EV9. So, what is the “secret” new electric car?

Okay, so it’s not exactly a secret, at least not anymore, but more of a new development. According to local sources (via KEDGlobal), little is known about the model. Since it’s still in the early stages of development, Kia has yet to determine exactly how big it will be or what segment it will launch.

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Kia will begin producing the new EV, codenamed CB, at its Hwaseong Plant 2 in South Korea by 2030. The electric vehicle was just one of several new projects Kia agreed to with its labor union.

Kia-secret-new-EV
Kia EV4 models during safety testing in Europe (Source: Kia UK)

The company also confirmed plans to begin building its second electric van, the PV7, at its dedicated Hwaseong EVO plant, starting in 2027. Kia currently produces the mid-size PV5 van at the facility, marking the first model in its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) lineup.

The PV7 will measure 5.9 meters in length, slightly longer than the PV5, which is up to 4.7 meters (Long Wheelbase version).

Kia-secret-new-EV
Kia PV5 Tech Day event (Source: Kia)

Kia’s agreement comes as the company looks to take a lead in electrification over the next few years. It also outlined plans to advance battery packs, power electronics (PE) modules, and other core EV components to help establish a domestic supply chain.

In Europe, Kia plans to nearly triple EV production within the next two years. Kia’s CEO, Ho Sun Song, told Automotive News Europe earlier this month that the company plans to build about 100,000 EV2 models, its smallest electric car, at its Zilina plant in Slovakia in 2027.

Kia-new-EV
Kia unveils EV4 sedan and hatchback, PV5 electric van, and EV2 Concept at 2025 Kia EV Day (Source: Kia)

Kia expects to build an additional over 80,000 EV4 models, its first electric hatch, at the facility by 2027. Combined with EV4 Fastback, or the sedan version, which is produced in South Korea, Song said that “the EV4’s combined global production is expected to reach approximately 100,000 units.”

The first EV4 rolled off the assembly line at the Zilina plant in August, marking a milestone as the first electric vehicle Kia built in Europe.

Kia-new-EV
Kia starts EV4 hatchback production in Europe, its first EV built in Europe (Source: Kia UK)

Kia is already gaining traction in the region. Through August, Kia sold 71,179 electric vehicles in Europe, marking a 56% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The EV3 has been Kia’s biggest hit, ranking as its second-best-selling vehicle behind the Sportage. It’s the seventh top-selling EV in Europe, behind the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, and Volkswagen’s ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7. Through the first eight months of the year, Kia sold over 45,000 EV3s in Europe.

With the EV4 and EV5 rolling out and the EV2 set to launch in 2026, Kia expects to gain an even bigger share of the market.

Electrek’s Take

Kia already offers, or plans to offer, an electric vehicle in nearly every segment with the EV2, EV3, EV4 (hatchback and sedan), EV5, EV6, and EV9.

The new EV, codenamed CB, could be an even smaller EV1 entry-level model as Kia doubles down on affordability. On the other hand, it could also be a possible EV7 or EV8, something to sit in between the EV6 and the three-row EV9.

Since it’s still in the early stages of development, it could be just about anything: an electric pickup, off-roader, luxury car, etc.

What do you think (or hope) it will be? We should learn more about it as it gets closer to launch. Stay tuned.


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Tesla investing in xAI: the good, the bad, the ugly

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2 hours ago

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October 17, 2025

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Tesla investing in xAI: the good, the bad, the ugly

Elon Musk Tesla Money hero

While Tesla shareholders are focused on giving Elon Musk a huge CEO compensation package, there’s a potentially even more impactful proposal that is sneaking through: Tesla investing in Musk’s xAI.

Here are the pros and cons of this controversial proposal.

Tesla Shareholder Proposal to invest in xAI

For those unaware, xAI is Elon Musk’s private AI startup behind the large language model (LLM) and generative AI Grok.

The company now also includes X, formerly Twitter, after Musk orchestrated a merger between the two companies earlier this year.

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xAI’s origin is fascinating and comes from Musk’s long-standing obsession with controlling AI.

I published a detailed timeline of Musk’s attempt to gain control of AI in a report based on emails and text messages released through lawsuits between Musk and OpenAI earlier this year:

In short, Musk tried to gain complete control of OpenAI, but he failed. He moved his AI effort to Tesla, but he then lost control after selling too many shares to acquire Twitter. So he moved his AI effort to a new private company xAI.

Tesla shareholders are now suing the billionaire for breach of fiduciary duty for starting xAI, which competes for talent with Tesla.

Many experts believe shareholders have a strong case, as Musk cited a “conflict of interest” with Tesla’s own AI effort when leaving OpenAI. The CEO even threatened Tesla shareholders not to build AI products at the company if he didn’t gain more control through a higher percentage of Tesla’s shares.

Shareholders are requesting that Musk transfer his ownership of xAI to Tesla.

However, the case will take a long time to go through the court system. Meanwhile, other Tesla shareholders are suggesting that Tesla use its own money to invest in xAI directly.

They submitted a proposal that is up to a vote at Tesla’s upcoming shareholders meeting on November 6th:

RESOLVED, that shareholders of Tesla, Inc. (the “Company”) request that the Board of Directors authorize an investment in xAI, in an amount and form deemed appropriate by the Board.

WHEREAS, an investment in xAI would provide Tesla with a stake in a major AI player, potentially yielding significant financial returns while fostering technological advancements that benefit Tesla’s customers and shareholders.

As you can see, the proposal leaves it to the board to decide the full amount to invest into Musk’s private company.

Interestingly, this is the only shareholder proposal on which the board hasn’t taken a position. It is asking shareholders to vote against all other proposals, even one that is pushing for an audit to avoid contributing to child labor.

The lack of a vote recommendation from the board, which is seen as being under Musk’s control, is widely interpreted as a recommendation to vote for it. However, Musk and the board must abstain due to the ongoing lawsuit regarding xAI.

Does it make sense for Tesla to invest in xAI?

The Good

Obviously, it’s an investment and you want to get a return on it. The main “good thing” to come out of this is if xAI somehow manages to beat all the other extremely well-funded and well-staffed competition into creating a real general AI.

Considering xAI is significantly behind the competition in most revenue-generating AI-backed products and it is reportedly valued at more than $200 billion, Tesla is arriving late to the company, and realistically, it would only achieve a significant return on investment through AGI.

The only other potential benefit would be technology sharing, but an investment doesn’t actually help that much there.

Most other automakers have already partnered with AI companies to integrate LLMs in their vehicles. Tesla has already done so with Grok before investing in xAI.

In short, any technology partnership can be done without an investment in the company, as they have already shown.

If anything, it would create another circular economy, which is all the rage in the AI world these days.

The Bad

It’s obviously a risky investment, and Tesla would be entering at an already substantial valuation of approximately $200 billion – or even more, depending on when the round closes.

In comparison, OpenAI is reportedly valued at $500 billion, and it is estimated to have 700-800 million weekly users.

Meanwhile, xAI’s is estimated to have ~30 million weekly users.

As stated in the “good”, xAI has little chance of catching up to the competition in terms of revenue-generating AI services unless it can bypass them all through AGI, which is a massive gamble.

Due to its heavy investment in computing power, xAI is believed to have a burn rate of roughly $10 billion per year.

AI companies are also amortizing their compute at different rates, and many analysts worry that some are overestimating the lifespan of those chips.

Most of the $14 billion xAI raised in its first 2 years was reportedly gone by early 2025, and the company is now rumored to be closing a new round of financing between $10-20 billion. With the current burn rate, xAI is going to have to repeat this level of funding every year for the foreseeable future.

SpaceX is rumored to be investing about $2 billion in xAI’s current financing round.

With Tesla’s own profits shrinking over the last three years, it is not in a position to sustain such a high burn rate with $2 billion in investments every year.

At its current earnings rate, most of its early earnings would go into xAI with a similar investment as SpaceX.

The Ugly

The most remarkable aspect of this situation is that the Tesla shareholders suing Musk and the board over the funding of xAI have a compelling case.

There’s a real chance that Tesla could end up owning xAI without even having to invest in it, as the chief executives of public companies are not allowed to create competing private companies and funnel resources between them, which is exactly what Musk did.

Prior to starting xAI, Musk himself said that Tesla was an “AI” company. Instead of doing the right thing and incorporating the xAI effort into Tesla, he decided to do it privately because he wasted a large percentage of his Tesla ownership on buying an inflated Twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, Tesla would literally be investing in an again-inflated Twitter.

Musk sold tens of billions of dollars worth of Tesla shares to buy Twitter at $44 billion valuation, which he himself admitted was inflated.

Private investors wrote off most of the valuation over the next 3 years. As of late 2024, it was reportedly worth only $9 billion, but then Musk, a master of self-dealing, had xAI buy it/merge with it, magically raising its valuation back to $44 billion.

This also contributes to inflating any investment in xAI.

Finally, and perhaps the most troubling aspect of this whole thing, Tesla, which has as its mission to accelerate the world’s transition to renewable energy, would be investing in a company that currently primarily produces AI slop that consumes a ton of energy for questionable uses, including an extremely controversial AI companion program.

In short, Elon Musk is double-dipping into Tesla to keep his obsession with controlling AI alive.


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