Kia is following in the footsteps of Ford, GM, and Rivian as it prepares to “be reborn as a central brand.” With plans to build a second factory for purpose-built EVs, Kia aims to take advantage of the growing need for PBVs.
The South Korean automaker proposed the plan during wage talks with union workers Friday, according to industry sources.
Kia looks to compete in the emerging tailor-made vehicle segment over the next several years. In a keynote speech this week, Song Ho-Song said that to sustain growth, “transformation of the entire business is necessary.”
He emphasized Kia’s transition from an auto manufacturing business to a “mobility solutions” brand. The brand will spearhead Hyundai’s expansion into new segments.
Kia will not only sell electric cars but also new services like purpose-built EVs, car sharing, and car-hailing.
In April, Kia began construction on its first PBV factory (and the first all-EV plant in South Korea). The company invested roughly $758 million (1 trillion won) with plans to produce 150,000 units annually, starting in the second half of 2025.
(Source: Kia)
Kia will begin building purpose-built EVs in 2025
The company’s first purpose-built EV, codenamed “SW,” will be revealed in 2025. Kia says the mid-sized PBV will be based on a new dedicated platform for purpose-built EVs.
According to Kia, the electric SW model will support delivery, ride-hailing, and B2B with a spacious interior and optimized load structure.
(Source: Kia)
Following that, Kia plans to expand into large-size PBVs that will be used for fresh food delivery, logistics, shuttles, mobile offices, and stores. The company will also launch smaller PBVs and robotaxis.
The larger models will be built at Kia’s second electric PBV plant starting in 2028. Kia’s new facility is expected to be at its production center 50 miles southwest of Seoul.
Post 2025 electric EDV plans (Source: Kia)
Kia sees larger purpose-built EVs as a potential revenue driver in the future. Automakers like General Motors sell PBVs to major corporations like FedEx and Walmart.
GM established Brightdrop, an all-electric delivery business, in 2021. Companies like FedEx and Ryder have already begun deploying Brightdrops electric last-mile delivery vans.
Meanwhile, Ford’s E-Transit was the best-selling electric cargo van in the US in September and has also been leading in Europe.
Amazon Rivian EDV version (Source: Amazon)
California-based Rivian has also made progress with its electric delivery van (EDV). The EV maker earned a commitment from e-commerce giant Amazon to purchase 100,000 EDVs by the end of the decade. Rivian’s EDVs even reached Europe this summer with a new design for city travel.
Kia wants to lead the segment with over 1.5 million PBV sales by 2030. It has already secured several customers, including CJ Logistics and Coupang.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
With revenue tumbling almost as fast as market share, Tesla stock is taking a pounding – exactly like CEO Elon Musk predicted! We’ve also got FSD rolling out in China, a German automation acquisition, and more on today’s red candlestick edition of Quick Charge!
We’ve also got some clarifying news at Mercedes-Benz, which is set to ditch its confusing EQ-based model alphanumerics and (God willing) their suppository-based styling language, too. Plus, Rivian launches a new upfit service to make it easier for fleet managers to order ready-to-work EVs, Ram ProMaster EV lives up to its promises with more options and a lower price tag, and a big solar deal goes down.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Got news? Let us know! Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Lennox Residential HVAC has launched an extreme cold climate heat pump that warms a house with low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant in temperatures as low as -20F.
In 2022, Lennox was the first company to complete the first phase of the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump (CCHP) Technology Challenge, and the SL22KLV is a souped up version of the unit developed for that challenge.
The heat pump, which pairs with a smart thermostat, uses a variable-speed compressor with Electronic Refrigerant Injection (ERI) to adjust the energy usage based on the outside temperature, which helps to lower energy costs. When the temperature drops, the ERI increases heating output efficiently.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The SL22KLV has efficiency ratings of up to 21.10 for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2), 13.2 for Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (EER2), and 10.50 for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2 (HSPF2). It also features a precision-balanced, direct-drive fan and sound-dampening system for ultra-quiet operation as low as 58 decibels.
The heating capacity is between 21,600 Btuh and 60,000 Btuh, and the cooling capacity is between 22,000 Btuh and 56,000 Btuh.
Lennox’s new extreme cold heat pump uses the low global warming potential R-454B refrigerant, reducing environmental impact without compromising performance. It’s also eligible for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, a federal IRA tax credit for homeowners (and it’s still in place). There may also be other local utility and state incentives for installing a heat pump, so it’s definitely worth checking. It’s now available for order through local Lennox dealers.
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
EV startup Lucid Motors (LCID) released its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, beating estimates with big expectations for 2025. Lucid said it expects to produce about 20,000 EVs this year with the output of its first electric SUV, the Gravity, ramping up.
Q4 2024 earnings preview
After four straight record quarters, Lucid delivered 10,241 vehicles last year. That’s up 70% from the roughly 6,000 EVs Lucid delivered in 2023.
In the final three months of 2024, the company delivered 3,099 vehicles alone, nearly 80% more than the year prior. Lucid also hit its production target for the year with 9,029 EVs built at its Casa Grande, Arizona manufacturing plant.
After launching its first electric SUV, the Gravity, in December, the EV maker expects output to pick up this year.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The higher volume helped Lucid generate $200 million in revenue in the third quarter, but its net loss also widened to $992.5 million compared to $630.9 million in Q3 2023.
Like most, Lucid has introduced significant discounts and incentives with up to $15,000 in savings on select Air models.
Q4 2022
Q1 2023
Q2 2023
Q3 2023
Full-year 2023
Q4 2023
Q1 2024
Q2 2024
Q3 2024
Q4 2024
Full-year 2024
Lucid EV deliveries by quarter
1,932
1,406
1,404
1,457
6,001
1,734
1,967
2,394
2,781
3,099
10,241
Lucid (LCID) EV deliveries by quarter through 2023 to 2024
Wall St is estimating Lucid will post Q4 revenue of $214 million, up from $157.2 million in Q4 2023, with an eps loss of 0.25.
Lucid aims to double EV production in 2025
Lucid reported Q4 revenue of $234.5 million, up nearly 50% from the prior year and beating Wall St estimates. For the full year, the company generated $807.8 million, up from $595.2 million in 2023.
Lucid Q4 2024 revenue: $234.5 million vs $214 million expected
Lucid Q4 2024 EPS: (-$0.22) vs (-$0.25) expected
The company also improved gross margins by 72pts to (-89%). Despite the higher output, Lucid’s operating loss narrowed to $732.95 million in Q4, down from $736.87 million a year prior.
Lucid ended the quarter with about $6.13 billion in liquidity, which the EV maker said will be sufficient into the second half of 2026 when it plans to launch its midsize platform.
Lucid Q4 2024 earnings (Source: Lucid Motors)
CEO Peter Rawlinson said earlier this month that the midsize platform is “finally when we compete directly with Tesla.” The first two models are expected to be an electric SUV and sedan starting at around $50,000, aimed at Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y.
Interim CFO Gagan Dhingra said, “We made substantial progress in improving our gross margins, managing our operating expenses while balancing strategic growth investments, and strengthening our balance sheet with the support of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).”
(Source: Lucid Motors)
Lucid expects to produce around 20,000 vehicles in 2025, more than double the just over 9,000 EVs it built last year.
The company said it will “continue to prudently manage and adjust production to meet sales and delivery needs” this year.
Lucid Gravity electric SUV at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Lucid Motors)
Lucid’s upbeat guidance comes after Rivian (RIVN) announced during its Q4 earnings last week that it expected slightly fewer deliveries this year. Rivian said the lower guidance was due to “external factors,” including changes in government policies and regulations.
The company also announced several management changes. COO Mark Winterhoff will serve as interim CEO, while Peter Rawlinson will become a Strategic Technical Advisor on the board. Meanwhile, Taoufiq Boussaid has been appointed CFO.
Lucid’s stock climbed over 8% after beating fourth quarter estimates and raising EV output guidance for 2025. Check back for updates from Lucid’s earnings call. We will post updates from the call below.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.