Key Takeaways
- Kia broke records with strong EV sales in April, led by the EV9.
- The versatile three-row electric SUV saw its highest monthly sales ever, contributing to a 144% year-over-year EV sales increase.
- Despite that success, overall Kia sales figures were down for April.
It was good news and bad news for Kia in April. The good news came from electric vehicles, which set an all-time sales record in the US. While other automakers are scaling back plans for new EVs, Kia is moving forward with vehicles like the new EV9 SUV leading the way.
2024 Kia EV9 Light Short Range RWD
- MSRP
-
$54,900
- Engine
-
Electric
- Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Horsepower
-
215 hp
- Torque
-
258 lb-ft
- Seating Capacity
-
7 seater
- Curb Weight
-
5,093 lbs
- Maximum Towing Capacity
-
5,000 lbs
- Range
-
up to 304 miles
The EV9 is a three-row electric vehicle that made its debut last year as a versatile and affordable family option. In April, it posted its highest monthly sales ever of 1,572 units for a total of 5,579 so far this year. This helped Kia post a 144-percent year-over-year electric vehicle sales increase.
Electrified Success
Also coming in strong was the EV6, which is an electric crossover. It posted sales of 2,051 units for April with 6,110 sold year-to-date. These are the only two vehicles in the Kia lineup that are exclusively electric. There’s also the Niro, which is offered as not just an electric, but also as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
“The impressive sales momentum generated by Kia’s EV and electrified models in the first quarter continued to accelerate in April with best-ever EV and SUV performances,” – Eric Watson, vice president, sales operations, Kia America.
Kia’s strong EV lineup helped it set an overall monthly EV record for the brand in the US. April of 2023 came in at 61 percent higher than the previous record set back in 2022. The Sorento, which is available as a gas, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid, also had a big month with a 24 percent increase over its April 2023 sales.
The Bad News
While EV sales were strong, overall it wasn’t a great month for Kia. It moved 65,754 units for the month of April, which marked the fifth straight month in a downward sales trend. It’s also lagging behind on year-to-date sales with 245,375 for 2024 down from 252,341 in 2023.
Related
Kia Teases EV3 Electric Crossover In Unusual Video
Kia has chosen a video promoting the upcoming Pixar film Inside Out 2 to tease the new EV3 electric crossover.
Vehicles including the Carnival, Telluride, and Sportage all improved on last April’s sales figures, but the Soul is coming up short with a big decrease compared to 2023. The discontinued Rio and Stinger have also contriubed to the sales decline with no current replacements in the Kia lineup.
#Kia #EV9 #Helps #Set #Sales #Record #Sales #Continue #Decline
