Kia’s affordable EV3 officially spotted in the US ahead of its upcoming debut [Images]

After opening pre-orders in Korea starting at just $30,700 (KRW 42.08 million), Kia’s EV3 is already a social media sensation. Will the “game-changing” EV3 have the same effect in the US? Ahead of its official market debut, the EV3 was spotted testing in the US. Here’s when we can expect to see Kia’s new affordable EV in the US.

Kia unveiled the EV3 for the first time in October during its first annual EV Day. The EV3 is a cornerstone of Kia’s plans to secure its future position in the auto industry.

The EV3 was introduced alongside the EV4 and EV5 as part of the brand’s new affordable electric car lineup.

After opening orders in South Korea on June 4, 2024, Jeong Won-Jeong, vice president at Kia Corp, revealed the EV3 secured over 10,000 reservations in just 23 days. The EV3 starts at $30,700 (KRW 42.08 million). With incentives, starting prices drop to as low as $29,200 (KRW 39.95 million).

Based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, the EV3 has up to 311 miles (501 km) range in Korea. The base (standard range) model is rated at up to 217 miles (350 km).

Jeong called the EV3 a “game changer” in its home market. Earlier this month, Kia launched the EV3 in the UK, starting at $42,300 (£32,995).

After reports surfaced that Kia would build the affordable EV in Mexico and export it to the US, it looks like they are turning out to be true.

Kia’s EV3 caught testing in the US

Kia is expected to build EV3 models in Mexico to take advantage of the federal EV tax credit.

The EV3 is already undergoing testing after a US-spec model was caught testing in California. Although the model is covered in camouflage, you can see it retains most design elements, like the slim LED headlights and closed grille.

The images captured by KindelAuto give us a better idea of what to expect when it arrives in the US.

According to TheKoreanCarBlog, Kia is developing a US-specific EV3 model, codenamed SVm. Kia is expected to begin production at its Monterey plant in Mexico by the end of 2024. It’s expected to launch in the US in early 2025.

The plant currently builds K4 models with an annual production capacity of 400,000 units. Kia aims to produce 110,000 EV3 models for North America, topping its 100,000 target in Korea.

With expected prices to start at around $30,000 to $35,000, the EV3 would be among the most affordable EV options in the US. With the potential $7,500 federal tax credit included, EV3 prices could start at around $25,000.

According to Cox Automotive, the average price paid for a new EV in June in the US was $56,371.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.