The Hyundai Motor Group, which consists both Hyundai and Kia, declared today that it will spend $7.4 billion in the United States by 2025 to “improve production facilities and deepen its investments in smart mobility solutions” in addition to producing future EVs.
The fact that both Hyundai and Kia will produce battery-electric vehicles with American components is what matters the most to us. In particular, Hyundai will start EV production in 2022.
The market conditions and EV policies will determine what models will be released and in what quantities. Besides BEVs, the organization wants to invest additionally in hydrogen fuel cells:
The investment made by HMG will increase the competitiveness of its products overall by giving electrification and hydrogen energy a priority in future mobility technologies.
Hyundai and Kia will invest in expanding their EV manufacturing footprint in order to scale production and meet the demands of the American market. Beginning the following year, Hyundai Motor will provide American consumers with a selection of electric automobiles.
When it comes time to formalize their plan to upgrade their U.S. manufacturing facilities and progressively increase their domestic EV output, Hyundai and Kia will be keeping an eye on the market and the U.S. government’s EV policy.
The first two E-GMP-based electric cars, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, are now being marketed by Hyundai and Kia. Both models are made in South Korea and will be distributed throughout the world.
Jos Muoz, president and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor North America and the company’s global chief operating officer, said:
To make this statement on behalf of the Hyundai Motor Group, I’m thrilled. This investment shows how deeply committed we are to the American market, our dealers, and our clients. Hyundai will set the global and American standards for mobility in the future. Hyundai will continue to strive for quality in our existing and future product lineup, as demonstrated by our efforts.
Kia North America’s President and CEO, Sean Yoon, added:
Making the switch from internal combustion engines to electric power is a crucial part of Kia’s evolution. We are making great progress to lead the EV industry with our strategic investment in the United States to develop EV models, but we are also increasing our contribution to the economies where we do business.
Additionally, Hyundai Motor Group declared that it would work with regional corporate and public partners to develop the hydrogen ecosystem in the United States.
As of right now, the business only sells the Hyundai NEXO model on a limited basis, but, like Toyota, it has large hydrogen ambitions.
Hyundai Motor Group and the U.S. Department of Energy inked an MOU in February 2020 to collaborate on the global expansion and advancement of hydrogen fuel cell technology. A hydrogen filling station was built as well as NEXO SUVs were provided.
Hyundai will move forward with a demonstration project later this year in preparation for the sale of fuel cell electric trucks. Additionally, Hyundai Motor will carry out a hydrogen refueling demonstration project for fuel cell electric trucks in conjunction with regional partners. and employ fuel cell electric trucks to transport goods between the port and inland facilities.
Hyundai and Cummins Inc. earlier reached an agreement to hasten the adoption of fuel cell electric systems in the U.S. market. Cummins Inc. is a U.S.-based corporation that specializes in advanced powertrain.
Urban Air Mobility (UAM), robots, and autonomous technologies are different investments.
To expand its footprint in the robotics industry, Hyundai Motor Group paid $1.1 billion for an 80 percent stake in Boston Dynamics. Work under the Motional joint venture is progressing in terms of autonomous driving (with Aptiv).
Motional is already developing a self-driving Hyundai Ioniq 5. In 2023, the first robotaxi will be introduced (probably on a small scale):
“Motional, which is committed to commercializing driverless technology, has secured the sector’s first driverless license in the state of Nevada and intends to launch a robotaxi service in 2023 alongside its partner Lyft. Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ 5 with cutting-edge autonomous driving technology is now being tested by Motional on public roads.
In order to get ready for Lyft’s robotaxi launch in 2023, the Hyundai Motor Group and Motional will improve its autonomous driving technology together.
In This Article...
What country produces Kia electric?
In order to increase the manufacturing of electric vehicles in South Korea, Hyundai Motor Co. and its subsidiary Kia intend to spend 21 trillion won ($16.5 billion), including the construction of a new factory with the potential to produce as many as 150,000 greener cars annually.
According to the plan, the two automakers hope to raise annual EV manufacturing in the country from an anticipated 350,000 units this year to 1.44 million units by 2030, Hyundai said in a statement on Wednesday. By then, Hyundai and Kia’s global EV production volume would be around 45% of the anticipated 1.44 million output.
Is the Kia EV6 headed to the US?
There are a total of five different Kia EV6 variants offered in the United States, with costs ranging from USD 40,900 to USD 55,900. It qualifies for the federal EV tax credit of USD 7,500. Across the board, Kia adds a USD 1,215 surcharge.
In February 2022, Kia began delivering the EV6 to American customers. It reported sales of 2,125 units in the first month. Better, 3,156 units were supplied in March. In the first quarter of 2022, Kia sent 5,281 EV6 vehicles to American Kia dealers (January-March 2022).
Kia EV6 First Edition
On June 3, 2021, Kia began taking EV6 reservations in the USA for a First Edition with a cap of 1,500 vehicles. Technical issues arose on the reservation website due to an unusually high volume of visitors. The company reopened preorders on June 8, 2021, and that same day it finished taking all 1,500 preorders.
Along with prioritizing delivery, the Kia EV6 First Edition gave buyers the option of ordering their vehicle in the unique exterior color Urban Yellow. Two other distinguishing characteristics are the First Edition designation and the numbered internal badge.
Buyers of EV6s had a one-of-a-kind opportunity with the First Edition to specify Steel Gray Matte as the color for their vehicle. For the special edition model, Glacier was an additional exterior color choice. Dark green seats will be found in the units designed in Glacier, while black seats will be found in the other units. The EV6 First Edition comes standard with the Long-Range 77.4 kWh battery and 320 hp/446 lb.-ft. dual-motor powertrain.
- Exclusive exterior color choice in Urban Yellow
- exclusive seat color choice in dark green
- First Edition-designated illuminated door sills
- Interior badge with a number to indicate production count
- twenty-inch wheels
- Meridian audio system with 14 speakers
Customers who reserved an EV6 First Edition received a complimentary gift from Kia. Three presents were available: an Apple Watch, a 1000 kWh credit for use on a national charging network, or an EV home charger. The EV home charger was selected by more than 81 percent of the participants. The EV6 First Edition costs USD 58,500 in the United States, according to Kia.
Who makes the batteries for Kia EVs?
In the latest Niro EV generation, Kia is utilizing battery cells from CATL for the first time. In the past, Kia’s electric vehicles have only used cells made by South Korean companies. Cost is cited as the cause of the change.
The Korean publication Hankook Ilbo revealed this in relation to a manager for Kia. In accordance with the report, the battery pack of the latest generation of the all-electric Kia Niro employs NCM cells from the Chinese firm CATL and thus, for the first time, no cells from South Korea. It has an energy content of 64.8 kWh.
Evidently, the lower prices were a major factor in the decision to move from CATL to SK Innovation (now SK On) as the cell supplier for the Niro EV. mentioning a “The Kia management did not want to remark because it was a private situation.
Kia had initially intended to transfer from SK On to LG Energy Solution, as Hankook Ilbo continues to report. On price alone, CATL might have prevailed. The paper suggests that the cost may be affected by both the cell chemistry employed and the economies of scale of the largest battery manufacturer in the world: The NCM811 cells from LGES and SK On had more nickel for higher energy density, but the CATL cell was an earlier design with more cobalt for faster charging at low temperatures, but at the expense of lower energy density.
“The CATL battery was selected in place of the domestic battery because it satisfied internal quality standards for (Kia) and the supply capacity was deemed enough.
There is reportedly rising anxiety in South Korea about Chinese cell manufacturers expanding there; some customers reportedly feel duped and appear to want to cancel their orders, the newspaper’s article states. In addition, “Hankook Ilbo is also flagging issues with the Chinese battery: “CATL, which mostly manufactures lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, has mass-produced NCM batteries in a car model for the first time. According to the study, this indicates that quality or safety have not been shown. But this is untrueNMC cells from CATL are used, among others, in the Mercedes EQE, Mercedes EQS, and BMW iX3.
Delivery of the Kia Niro EV’s second generation is anticipated to begin in July. In reality, the drive hasn’t changed much since the first generation: the battery capacity goes up just a little, from 64 to 64.8 kWh, and the maximum charging power stays at 75 kWh. However, battery preconditioning will be available in the future. The 39 kWh compact battery option will no longer be offered.
What kind of battery powers the Kia EV6?
The Kia EV6 model, which is available in numerous configurations, recently had its US pricing officially confirmed by Kia a little over two weeks ago. In this article, we’ll concentrate on and contrast the EV-related specifications of various variants.
The car’s lowest model, the EV6 Light, has a tiny 58.0 kWh battery and RWD. A 77.4 kWh battery and a RWD or AWD powertrain are options for the Wind and GT-Line grades. Additionally, a limited First Edition exists (basically a better-equipped version of the car with a 77.4 kWh battery and AWD).
There will also be a GT version in the future, which will have greater power for quicker acceleration (from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds).
Big vs small battery
The base Kia EV6 Light has an MSRP of $40,900, however after subtracting the federal tax credit and adding the DST, the beginning price can actually be $34,615.
With a 58.0 kWh battery, it had a 232-mile EPA range (373 km). The pack weighs roughly 816 lbs and has a nominal voltage of 522.7 V, according to the manufacturer (370 kg). While the DC fast charging is only capable of 180 kW of electricity, it can give up to 195 kW.
The battery capacity in the RWD variant rises to 77.4 kWh when upgrading to the Wind trim ($6,100 cost). Accordingly, the EPA range increases to 310 miles (499 km). The larger battery’s DC rapid charging is restricted to 240 kW, although its nominal voltage is 697 V and it can give up to 253 kW. The battery pack is 1052 pounds heavy (477 kg).
But there are other differences as well. The Wind RWD accelerates a little bit more quickly because to more power (168 kW, or 34% more) (7.2 seconds vs 8.0 seconds).
The V2L power export feature (up to 1.9 kW, up to 1.1 kW while charging an EV) is also included with the vehicle as standard, although the Light trim does not, not even as an option.
Another distinction is that the entry-level model is unable to tow. Towing capacity for the Wind RWD (and subsequent trims) is 2300 lbs (1043 kg).
With a 10.9 kW onboard charger and 10-80 percent DC fast charging in as little as 18 minutes, both vehicles look to have the identical charging capabilities (at an ultra-fast charger).
AWD vs RWD
If the Kia EV6’s Long Range model is insufficient, one can think about a more sophisticated, dual-motor all-wheel-drive model. It brings up the cost by $3,900.
It can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds thanks to the increase in system power to 239 kW (peak), but the EPA range is reduced by about 12 percent to 274 miles (441 km).
How long does it take to get a Kia EV6?
According to the brand, the lead time for most new Kia models is between 8 and 16 weeks. The all-new Sportage and various Ceed versions, which are now its best-selling models in the UK, have a lead time of exactly eight weeks. The EV6 and Sorento, however, have wait times that exceed 16 weeks because to high demand worldwide.
Even though the brand’s dealer inventory varies, some models, mainly those made in Europe, including the Sportage and Ceed, are still accessible.
How much will the EV6 set you back?
The 2022 Kia EV6 has a starting MSRP of $40,900. That’s about average for an electric SUV, and it compares favorably to competitors like the Kia Niro EV, the Volkswagen ID. 4, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.