Kia EV5 $40K electric SUV to be revealed next month in China, direct aim at Tesla Model Y
Kia is set to unveil its newest electric vehicle next month in China at the annual Chengdu Motor Show. The Kia EV5 will be a compact electric SUV aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y with an expected starting price of around 50 million won (roughly $40,000).
Just a week after revealing its flagship EV9, Kia unveiled the new EV5 electric SUV concept in March as it expands into new segments.
Kia says the EV5 is influenced by the same “opposites united” design philosophy which you can begin to see emerge throughout its lineup.
Kia introduced the new design language alongside a new logo as part of a rebrand into the new electric era. Compared to previous generations, Kia’s unique design features sharper sculpted lines, a powerful stance, and modern upgrades.
The EV5 embodies this with a new Digital Tiger Face up front, replacing Kia’s signature Tiger Nose Grille.
On the inside, Kia designed the electric SUV concept to create a “space of coexistence” to enhance the interaction with people, nature, and technology.
Karim Habib, executive vice president and head of Kia Global Design Center, said the EV5 “is designed to inspire our customers on every journey, while providing sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions.”
Although the production version will likely look different on the interior with a more realistic setup, we expect the exterior to remain very similar, as other concepts that have gone into production have shown.
Kia didn’t release further details other than the electric SUV will be available in China later this year.
According to a new report from The Korean Car Blog, the EV5 will be revealed next month at the annual Chengdu Motor Show in China. The report notes Kia confirmed that the electric SUV would start “within the standard 50 million won range,” or around $40,000.
The base version will have larger battery capacity than the current Kia EV6 (77.4kWh) and reach up to 82 kWh. The long-range model is expected to feature over 600 km (372 mi) range.
While overseas markets will use an NCM battery, the Chinese version will go with LFP. According to sources, the EV5 will be based on a 400V system rather than the 800V used for other Hyundai Motor Group EVs that ride on the E-GMP platform. As a result, Kia can offer the electric SUV at a lower price.
The EV5 will face stiff competition in the booming Chinese EV market, where EV makers like BYD and Tesla continue grabbing a bigger share of the pie.
With a starting price of around $40K, the EV5 is aimed directly at Tesla’s Model Y. The Model Y starts at $36.9K (263,900 yuan) in China, with 545 km (338 mi) CLTC range. Starting at $43.9K (313,900 yuan), the long-range version offers up to nearly 400 miles range.
Electrek’s Take
Kia expects the EV5 electric SUV to play an integral role in its push to win market share in the world’s largest EV market. It will be the automaker’s first model built in China that will also be shipped overseas.
At $40K, Kia’s new electric SUV looks like a good deal for those of us in the US, and it is. However, China’s market is extremely competitive, with drastic price cuts taking a toll on many automakers’ bottom lines.
Can the EV5 compete with Tesla’s Model Y? Not only that, but will it be able to keep up with domestic EV makers like BYD selling its Yuan Plus electric crossover for less than $20K?
Kia will try to prove to the world that it’s a legitimate competitor, and the EV5 is expected to highlight that. Stay tuned for the latest information on the Kia EV5 launch.
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Ford’s “From America, For America” deal, offering employee pricing for all, is helping drive sales. But, with Trump’s new tariffs, how long will the savings last?
A handshake with every American
The campaign was introduced a little over a month ago, but CEO Jim Farley said it’s already giving the company a lift.
Ford launched the “From America, For America” campaign on April 3, promoting its “American-made” vehicles with some serious savings opportunities.
The offer includes employee pricing across most 2024 and 2025 Ford and Lincoln models. According to Ford, it’s a “handshake deal with every American.”
Ford is offering savings across all powertrains, including gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and electric vehicles. The only models excluded are Raptors, specialty Mustang and Bronco vehicles, the 2025 Expedition, Navigator, and Super Duty Trucks.
After seeing early success, the company extended the offer through the Fourth of July. Farley said the company has sold over 150,000 vehicles with employee pricing since April.
Customers are appreciating @Ford’s ‘From America, For America’ offer. We’ve sold 150,000+ vehicles w/ employee pricing since April. Grateful for our dealers and glad to be offering a good deal to our customers!
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) May 10, 2025
How long does Ford’s employee pricing offer last?
Like most of the auto industry, Ford is bracing for the impact of Trump’s new auto tariffs. However, it may be in a better position than other major automakers.
Since Ford builds a greater percentage of its vehicles in the US than any other major OEM, outside of Tesla, it isn’t expected to take as big of a hit.
After releasing first-quarter earnings last week, Ford warned that Trump’s tariffs could cost the company up to $2.5 billion in 2025. Crosstown rival GM estimated the extra tariffs could add an extra $4 billion to $5 billion in costs this year.
Ford made around 2 million vehicles in the US last year, according to S&P Global Mobility. With another 391,000 built in Mexico and 54,000 in Canada, Ford imported around 21% of its vehicles sold in the US. GM, on the other hand, imports around 46%.
Last week, a spokesperson confirmed with Electrek that Ford will raise prices on vehicles built in Mexico, including the Mustang Mach-E, Maverick pickup, and Bronco Sport.
The move is part of Ford’s “usual mid-year pricing actions combined with some tariffs we are facing,” the spokesperson told Electrek.
It will not impact vehicle prices at the dealership or in transit. The higher prices will affect imported cars from May 2, which are expected to arrive at dealerships in late June. By how much? Although full prices were not revealed, the spokesperson said the Bronco Sport Heritage saw a $600 increase, while the Maverick XLT AWD’s price increased by $700.
Ford’s employee pricing is still available on these vehicles through July 4. For EV buyers, Ford is offering a few extra savings opportunities.
Through its “Power Promise,” Ford is offering a free Level 2 home charger on any new EV lease or purchase. The company is sweetening the deal with some extra perks, including 24/7 live EV support, proactive roadside assistance, and an 8-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty.
Looking to score some savings while they are still here? We’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to find deals on new Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E models in your area.
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The bitcoin mining company backed by President Donald Trump‘s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is set to go public on the Nasdaq through an all-stock merger with Gryphon Digital Mining.
Shares of Gryphon were up more than 300% Monday.
The combined company, American Bitcoin, will trade under the ticker symbol “ABTC,” with the transaction expected to close as early as the third quarter of 2025.
Existing stockholders of American Bitcoin, including the president’s two eldest sons, will own about 98% of the new entity.
It is the latest high-profile move from the Trump family’s growing crypto empire, which already includes the controversial $TRUMP meme coin that is offering a private dinner with the president to top holders of the coin.
Eric Trump, who is a co-founder and chief strategy officer of the mining firm, framed the move as part of a broader strategy to cement the country’s leadership in the global bitcoin mining race.
“Every single sophisticated country is using their excess power to mine bitcoin,” Trump previously told CNBC.
He distanced himself from any direct involvement with his father’s administration but made clear his belief that the U.S. must maintain a competitive edge in the crypto sector.
“We won the space race. We better win the crypto race,” he said.
On the campaign trail, the president repeatedly promised to support U.S.-based bitcoin miners, including telling executives at a closed-door event in Mar-a-Lago that he wants all future bitcoin should be minted on American soil.
The crypto market showed little reaction. Bitcoin is trading at around $104,000, roughly flat over the past 24 hours.
Environment
E-Dolphin looks to redefine the marine industry with its 58 mph all-electric S300 watercraft
A young marine electrification specialist called E-Dolphin is… making waves… with its flagship product – a 160-horsepower electric watercraft called the S300. Aside from a futuristic design with 90s-style neon green speckled flair, this vessel supports DC fast charging and can reach speeds over 55 mph.
E-Dolphin evolved from a sobering moment for its founder, Nicolas Florès, who grew up on the southern coast of France and realized that local dolphins were being exposed to pollutants (fuel, exhaust, and noise) expelled from traditional combustion watercraft.
In 2018, Florès took his knowledge from working in the EV industry and initiated an intensive R&D phase to electrify personal watercraft. This entailed creating an entirely custom powertrain system, including batteries and specialized motors.
After several prototype builds, E-Dolphin patented its first powertrain in 2020. That technology was implemented in the company’s first market-ready electric watercraft, the S300. The company has begun taking pre-orders for the personal watercraft before deliveries start later this year.
You can pre-order the S300 electric watercraft now
As you can see from the images above, E-Dolphin’s S300 electric watercraft blends sleek, modern styling with nostalgic flair, reminiscent of its Kawasaki and Yamaha predecessors from the 80s and 90s. While its neon spots might nod to the past, everything else in this vessel is highly modern.
The electric watercraft features a lightweight carbon fiber hull and an ergonomic seat for two. E-Dolphin also boasts that its vessels have an average lifespan double that of traditional personal watercraft. At the core of its performance (literally and figuratively) sits E-Dolphin’s proprietary powertrain, which delivers 160 horsepower and a top speed of 50 knots (57.5 mph).
The front features a 50-liter storage compartment below its handlebars, which features a full-color HD screen riders can use to monitor their speed, battery life, and navigation in real time. E-Dolphin is not sharing the chemistry of the 30 kWh battery pack in its electric watercraft but says it can navigate the waters for up to two hours on a single charge.
Another impressive feature is that the S300 electric watercraft supports CCS DC fast charging and can be replenished in under 30 minutes, making it easier to get back out to rip some aquatic donuts.
- Standard charging : 8 hours with monophase (220V)
- Fast charging : 2 hour 30 mins with monophase AC (220V) & Type 2
- Ultra Fast Charging : less than 30 mins with triphase DC (380V) & CCS
E-Dolphin has begun pre-orders for its S300, available with a €1,000 ($1,112) deposit. The entire electric watercraft costs €39,990 plus VAT ($44,500), and E-Dolphin plans 50 initial builds. Each early purchase comes with a lifetime warranty on the S300 electric watercraft.
After that, E-Dolphin targets scaled production to approximately 1,000 units per year in the next five years, with plans to expand availability to North America and Asia after European deliveries are steady.
First deliveries are expected to begin in Europe during Q3 of 2025.
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