The Georgia assembly facility where Kia, a South Korean manufacturer, will start producing the electric EV9 SUV next year, will get over $200 million in investments, the company announced on Wednesday.
The announcement comes as foreign automakers increase their North American output to meet the requirements for federal EV tax incentives.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed in August 2022, stipulates that vehicles must be assembled on the continent in order to qualify for up to $7,500 in subsidies.
Kia’s parent company, Hyundai Motor Group, is also collaborating with battery maker SK On to develop a new battery manufacturing facility in the region.
In order to supply batteries to Ford, SK Innovation has also started up a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia.
To construct the technologically advanced, three-row SUV as well as four other models, Kia claimed it will create roughly 200 new jobs. The EV9 will be Kia’s first electric vehicle built in the United States.
The action is consistent with Kia’s most recent campaign to boost EV sales and reach $122 billion in global revenue by 2030. The manufacturer has committed $24 billion to its electrification strategy, with the goal of selling 1 million EVs by 2026.
Kia plans to open its first specifically designed EV facility in Gwangmyeong in 2024. By 2027, Kia intends to introduce 15 new EV cars.
It was evident that Kia’s EV9 SUV was made specifically for the North American market when it was first unveiled in March. It is both huge and reasonably priced, offers a good amount of range, can serve as a transportable power source, and features a variety of sensors (such as cameras, lidar, and radar) that enable a cutting-edge driver assistance system.
The automaker’s move from being known as a low-cost airport rental company to a high-tech one is also reflected in the flagship car. Over-the-air updates are possible for almost all of the EV9’s functions thanks to the infotainment system and software package, which is a first for Kia.
