Kia's Electric Revolution

In the ever-evolving transportation landscape, electric cars have emerged as trailblazers, poised to revolutionize how we travel now and in the coming decades. Inspired by environmental consciousness, expanding vehicle options, ever-increasing range, enhanced battery tech and charging capabilities, this transformation represents a tangible shift in how we perceive and engage with gas-free mobility.

"The main benefits for me are the technology and innovation and the performance," said Jeff Blake, 34, a Virginia-based owner of a 2022 Kia EV6. Blake is so passionate about his Kia electric vehicle he has created a YouTube channel dedicated to Kia EV enthusiasts.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, EVs have become increasingly popular throughout the United States during the last decade, jumping from about 22,000 electric vehicles owned in the U.S. in 2011 to just over 2 million in 2021, and accounting for 7.2% of U.S. sales through September 2023. As companies like Kia increasingly transition into producing a wider range of EV models, this number is expected to increase exponentially in the next 10 years.

"Movement That Inspires" Mentality

Kia Motors Corporation emerged in 1944 as Kyungsung Precision Industry. The company was a producer of bicycles and handmade tubing during the Korean war. It has since evolved into one of South Korea's oldest and most venerable automobile manufacturers, with steadily expanding product offerings and sales volumes through the 1980s, 1990s, and this century.

Kia entered the U.S. market in 1992. Over the course of its 30-years in the U.S., Kia expanded its vehicle lineup to focus more on U.S. market needs, including sedans, several SUVs, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that cater to a spectrum of customer needs.

In 2021, Kia announced a major rebranding initiative to change how its customers perceived it. This included removing "Motors" from its corporate name, reflecting its mission to expand into new and emerging business areas beyond automobiles and toward the creation of clean mobility solutions.

The company's bold ambitions, highlighted by its new brand slogan, "Movement that inspires," include its long-term vision of establishing itself as a leader in the market of future mobility.

Cutting Fuel Costs

According to Steven Center, Kia North America's chief operating officer, beyond EV's fun-to-drive dynamics and high-tech features, one of the critical advantages Kia EVs offer in comparison to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is their fuel cost-effectiveness.

The disparity in fuel costs between gas-powered vehicles and EVs can be substantial. Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows that fuel costs for a Kia EV6 are $600* per year, about 71% less than a conventional 2023 Kia Sportage. (*Based on 45% highway, 55% city driving, 15,000 annual miles and current fuel prices.)

"We don't have to worry about gas anymore," said Luis Paredes, 35, a Kia EV6 owner from Los Angeles, who used to spend approximately $60 weekly on fuel for his 2019 Toyota Camry. Now he spends approximately $80 per month on electricity charging his Kia.

Blake added that his favorite standard Kia EV6 feature is its vehicle-to-load feature (V2L). This feature enables the EV to provide electric power to certain devices and appliances by plugging them into the car (through the charging port via an adapter).

For Kia owners like Paredes and Blake, these savings significantly impact their family budget, especially taking into consideration increasing gas prices. Saving on gasoline can provide substantial financial relief.

Enhancing Mobility and Convenience

During the design process of Kia's EV line, the engineers and product managers had sustainable mobility at the forefront of their mind. Said Center, "EVs are quiet, torquey, smooth and fun to drive. And high tech—beyond the powertrain engineering, but in terms of connectivity, infotainment." The latter refers to Kia's in-car entertainment system, which brings a new dimension of comfort to EV6 owners by providing Apple^® and Android^® users with smart connectivity features and access to useful real-time information.

Yet Kia's paramount focus lies in convenience and comfort with the car. One key to this is that EVs can be charged from the comfort of home using home-installed chargers, which means EV owners can charge overnight. Or they can also be charged through a growing network of public EV charging stations across the nation.

"In the beginning, there weren't as many chargers as there are now," said Paredes, who drove from Los Angeles to San Diego with his Kia EV6. Today, according to Paredes, "There are many chargers on the way."

In early October 2023, Kia announced that, commencing Q4 2024, it plans to build the North American Charging Standard port into new electric vehicles sold in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, making them compatible with the 12,000 Superchargers that Tesla currently operates.

Fast Track to Customer Satisfaction

Kia strives to integrate customer feedback in its newest products. This involves Kia's listening closely to customers, translating their needs into reality, and ensuring highly competitive value. While some customers prioritize total cost of operation (TCO) and efficiency, others seek distinctive features and striking designs, according to market understanding collected by Kia.

Kia's new EV9 SUV EV is expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2023, and the company has carefully factored in feedback from its EV owners. Beyond the requirements for a mid-size 3-row SUV EV such as interior space, tech, and family utility, one result is Kia's attention on increasing charging speed. Consumers, Center explained, highly value their time, and the ability to quickly recharge the EV9 is a critical factor in its appeal. Kia knows how busy consumers are, and the ultra-high speed charging capability of the EV9 (and EV6) reflects Kia's customer focus in EV product planning and development.

"EV9 is a great example of the synthesis of all of Kia's work and experience with EVs and SUVs," added Center. He explained that Kia's considering what consumers want, along with having an overall market understanding, is vital to the company's development of unique and broadly appealing EVs.

An Electrified Path Forward

Kia's vision of the future is clear. "Kia views the path forward as electrified," emphasized Center. The company will be focusing on expanding its EV lineup.

Blake, who previously owned a Kia Niro before he traded it in for Kia EV6, is now planning to get the newest Kia EV9. "I got to see one up close and a couple months ago, and I really liked it a lot," he said.

In today's evolving marketplace, the company faces new challenges, and reducing the cost of electrification while enhancing the range and charging time of their EVs is a big one. Kia is working hard on this and investing in new technologies to make it happen. Striking this balance—along with achieving high customer satisfaction—remains at the forefront of Kia's innovation efforts. Said Center, "Ultimately, the balance matches the product attributes with the customer's needs."