Kia’s US EV Sales Collapse As Shocking Drop Hits Key Models

[-]

itsamemarioscousin@reddit

Surprisingly interesting article, but if you want to save a click, the Shocking Drop is that the EV9 and EV6 are down nearly 50% year on year for the first 6 months of the year.

The 6 did get a facelift earlier this year, which should account for some of the drop, but still...ouch.

[-]

BeigeChocobo@reddit

I don't know about the EV6 but weren't there months of no EV9 inventory as they were transitioning model years? I'm sure that has something to do with it.

[-]

Yeah, the EV6 suffered new sales solely due to Kia not getting the 2025 model year out when they originally stated for release in Late November of 2024,(can not sell what us not available) whatever 2024s EV6s(slim options by now)that are out is all thats available, so all I had to look at on my prior lease end of my Niro EV when I got my EV6 gt, 3/25 was whatever dealerships had.

According to the dealer back in March they were informed by Kia that the 2025s would not be out until mid summer of 2025 as of yet I have not seen any 2025s on the lot, or any commercials for them. The EV9s also got some changes that also gave limited inventory of the 2025 model year, but now seems to be more available. So yeah the article takes out some key facts for sure.

[-]

GoHuskies1984@reddit

Last year the EV6 had some attractive lease offers in the $200 p/month range.

[-]

Ran4@reddit

I don't get why anyone with the ability to charge in the US wouldn't get an EV

[-]

cock________________@reddit

because they are incredibly boring to drive?

[-]

MisterEinc@reddit

Have you seen the types of cars most people drive?

[-]

cock________________@reddit

yep. those are also incredibly boring

[-]

t3a-nano@reddit

And even with that shift you've already dramatically increased my cost of ownership while simultaneously making the car much slower. All so I can hear an economy engine struggle.

For me to get an engine I'd actually want to hear would cost me over double. If I only spend 50% more, you'll get to hear me revving a RAV4 down the block, rather than a silent 400+ hp.

I am an outlier in terms of being a Canadian who does a lot of mileage though, I loved my Lexus, but the monthly gas bill was more than the payment on a brand new AWD Tesla Model 3, and that was just for the V6 IS350.

[-]

cheeseshcripes@reddit

The thrill of a RAV4!!!

[-]

XLauncher@reddit

Instant torque is pretty fun imo, but to each their own I suppose.

[-]

IllustriousAd1591@reddit

Bet it has to do with lease deals

[-]

JB_UK@reddit

EV9 can’t be down YoY, it’s only just been released.

[-]

DefinitelyNotSnek@reddit

The Kia EV9 has been out for a few years now. You might be thinking of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 which is somewhat of a sister car.

[-]

DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

It hasn't even been on sale for 2 years yet. It reached dealerships late 2023.

[-]

RBR927@reddit

So we are on the third model year now?

[-]

DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

Yes. The 3rd model year just went on sale a couple months ago I believe.

[-]

bigbobbinboy@reddit

2nd model year. The first was a 2024 model.

[-]

DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

2nd model year.

You sure about that?

[-]

DodgerBlueRobert1@reddit

It came out a year and a half ago for MY2024.

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit (OP)

People just don't want EVs as much anymore in North America, regardless of how nice the EV9 and EV6 are. I guess Kia is working on more hybrids, but tbh the hybrid versions of the Telluride and Seltos should have already been on the market by now. Instead, that attention was given to poor selling EVs

[-]

Perunakeisari_69@reddit

Its not that people dont want them, its the fact that the amount of competition is increasing massively. You cant expect a model like EV6, which was one of the first actually great evs in its segment, to keep such a large portion of sales as competitors roll out their equivalent models. Also since evs have dropped quite a bit in price, some used models are a no-brainer over a new one, so theres that too.

With one of evs main problems being price, buying a used one for half the price without even that mich mileage and only couple of years old is just such a massively better deal than buying a new one that will have its value drop to half in the next few years

[-]

ghostboo77@reddit

Nobody wants a $45k Kia compact SUV.

I think EV9 is a tough sell too. Most 3 row SUV buyers want gas at this point for a jack of all trades option.

I am interested in an EV, but it would be to replace our cheap second vehicle/commuter, not the 3 row family SUV

[-]

Ran4@reddit

Uh what.. The sportage is a massive seller

[-]

ls7eveen@reddit

Ev6 isnt compact lol

[-]

SonovaVondruke@reddit

People want them and can’t afford them. The real world economy is too concerning for working class folk to make a 6 year finance agreement at 5% APR and high electricity costs in states like California where EV demand has been high have made it a questionable value proposition.

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit (OP)

Also, I think the market is pretty small. I'm pretty sure most EV shoppers are people who already own an EV rather than someone transitioning into an EV. The one family I know who owns an EV9 also has an I4 and an F-150 Lightning

[-]

SonovaVondruke@reddit

I don't have an EV and want one when I replace my 5-year-old Tacoma (I have a preorder in on the Telo MT1, but happy to get another EV compact pickup if someone else hits the sub-40k market first). My friend wanted an F-150 Lightning but settled for a used hybrid a couple years back because of pandemic pricing. My wife wasn't satisfied with the range on the EV SUVs in our budget, so she went hybrid too. There are plenty of us out there who just can't justify it yet or are waiting for some unicorn or another.

The EV market is part of the overall car market. Everything is priced too high for the average buyer, and all the manufacturers are going to feel the belt-tightening of the middle class for the foreseeable future.

[-]

MaraudingWalrus@reddit

Yep. We'd love an EV. We were in a house with no garage/covered parking for four years, an apartment last year, and just moved into a house with a garage a few weeks ago and our careers are really getting going. There's a high chance that our next car will be an EV. New or used is a different conversation, but it's likely to be an EV regardless. My Stinger is closing in on 120,000 miles and I feel like they're a bit of an unknown at high mileage.

There are definitely people out there who want one, but the conditions need to align.

[-]

Ran4@reddit

Most people who can afford new cars can charge at home.

[-]

bigev007@reddit

It's neither. Kia basically didn't build any for 2-3 months. There have been near zero at dealers for most of this year

[-]

Weak-Specific-6599@reddit

The fact electricity is so expensive in California really should trigger some sort of investigation into CPUC and the structuring of public utilities (monopolies) in general, and the impacts those are current having in sales of EVs and investment in DCFC infrastructure. Unfortunately, I do not think that investigation will ever happen due to the number of political hands in that honey pot.

[-]

Futt_Buckman@reddit

I was just getting ready to move into a new car, and hopefully electric, and then all the trade fuckery and interest rates happened. Now I'm driving the car I already have until I can't anymore

[-]

DoublePostedBroski@reddit

Nah, they’re just way too expensive

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit (OP)

lol Every car would have better sales if it were a lower price

[-]

Thelimodriver1@reddit

The new face-lift 2025 EV6 wasn't even available until April. Kia was waiting for tesla network access prior to release. So the drop in 6mo sales isn't too unexpected on the EV6 side.

[-]

psaux_grep@reddit

Shocking!

/s

[-]

edokko_spirit@reddit

Why buy an EV9 for $70,000 when the BYD Dolphin costs just $25,000? Even though BYD isn't sold in the US, the "Perceived Value Bias" still affects buyers. They see the cheaper, better-value car elsewhere, which makes the overpriced EV9 less appealing

[-]

hewkii2@reddit

Because it has twice the range and that’s a major concern with EVs?

[-]

edokko_spirit@reddit

Absolutely! In 2024, BYD moved 1,764,992 battery electric vehicles, and focusing on more affordable EVs proves to be a smart strategy for them

[-]

RiftHunter4@reddit

I mean... have you seen the US economy? Whole country is basically crashing out rn.

[-]

NeverEverMaybe0_0@reddit

Based on what metrics?

[-]

DoublePostedBroski@reddit

Maybe if they didn’t cost the same as a Mercedes

[-]

AbXcape@reddit

couple that with greedy slimeball dealers that try to sneak in markups

[-]

Kaiathebluenose@reddit

Why is this downvoted

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

What Mercedes? Surely not a GLE/GLS.

Bonus: Kia reliability actually better than Mercedes now. That is the world we live in. (Mercedes’ fault).

[-]

SavageryRox@reddit

Let's look at the EV6 vs the same size electric Mercedes.
Base model Mercedes EQB is $59,990, Hyundai Ionic 5 is $55,729, Kia EV6 is $53,000. All of them are compact electric crossovers.

Using Canadian pricing since that is where I am located. The EQB can be had with steep discounts here so I'd wager I could probably get the EQB for an all-in price similar to the EV6.

[-]

primetimecsu@reddit

Probably due to the Canadian market, since in the USA, the EV6 starts at $43k and the EQB starts at $53k. And you can also get the EV6 with significant discounts as well.

And as you start optioning out the EV6 and EQB with similar features (outside of drivetrain since the EQB has less power and less range) the gap gets even bigger.

Top trim of the EQB is a 288hp combined power with \~200 miles range. Compared to the EV6 with the top GT-Line with 320hp, 300 mile range. Or even the GT trim with 600+ hp and 230 mile range.

[-]

GasOnFire@reddit

If you can get past the brand the EV6 is a better buy than the EQB.

[-]

Sinestro617@reddit

MSRP is really irrelevant when most people just lease these cars in $200-300 range. Ev6 and Ioniq are also objectively better than the EQB.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

Yeah but you need to look at the EQB reviews…

[-]

SavageryRox@reddit

Changing the topic of conversation now, are we? Went from comparing pricing to comparing reviews and ratings?

If you want to discuss reviews & pricing, The BMW I4 is really well reviewed, and starts at $58,000 compared to the EV6 at $53,000. The EV6 is a tough sell at it's price point, when the highly reviewed I4 is barely higher priced.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

Absolutely not? The Mercedes is bad value, how are the reviews NOT part of that equation? That said, I would take the i4. That is genuinely surprising.

[-]

SavageryRox@reddit

The discussion was solely about pricing.

Title was "Kia’s US EV Sales Collapse As Shocking Drop Hits Key Models"

comment was "Maybe if they didn’t cost the same as a Mercedes"

In the context of the discussion, reviews and ratings are completely irrelevant.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

How is VALUE irrelevant with pricing?? What a ridiculous take. What is wrong with you?!

[-]

Ran4@reddit

The ev6 isn't compact in any way

[-]

SavageryRox@reddit

Ev6 is literally the same dimensions as the RAV4, which is the top selling compact crossover. Less than 3 inch difference in length.

EV6 os the same size as the Kia Sportage, which is KIA's compact ICE crossover.

EV6 is 12 inches shorter than the Highlander, which is the best selling mid-size crossover.

The EV6's design language makes it appear bigger than it actually is.

[-]

WTDFROYSM@reddit

Admittedly not Kia and not MB but I think it will demonstrate the point: (all prices after tax incentives)
2025 Hyundai Ionic 5- $55,000
2025 Audi Q4- $57,000
2025 Chevy Equinox EV- $26,000

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

Which point does it demonstrate? Have you seen the Audi? It is literally one of the worst rated EVs on the market.

[-]

GasOnFire@reddit

They’re expensive but they are good value. I know the brand recognition isn’t there yet but some of these vehicles are top of the line in their segment.

We just purchased a 2016 Ioniq 9. The refinement and comfort is better than its peers.

[-]

iloveturkey7@reddit

If these cars were as good as the cars that China has, this wouldn't be happening. China is #1.

[-]

65_289@reddit

China is #1.

TAIWAN #1!!!!!

[-]

V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

Chinese automakers are exactly taking their main customer base, their quality poor but dirty cheap. No wonder Hyundai in China gotten serious trouble, no wonder they caring more India market than SEA market.

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

Thats pretty interesting, Tesla sales are down because of brand damage, but the would be Tesla buyers aren't flocking to other brands. Im pretty sure the EV market in the USA will probably not grow anymore, especially given the tax credit may be going away

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit (OP)

lol tbh I think potential Tesla buyers would rather wait for the brand damage to subside rather than try another brand because heaven forbid some other manufacturer attempts to build an EV

[-]

UpvoteMagnet99@reddit

There is also the issue that no other brand can drive itself.

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

Tesla's FSD doesn't even work well and other car makers have driver assist technology. Mercedes will soon have Level 3 Self Driving under 40mph

[-]

UpvoteMagnet99@reddit

It just drove a car 30 minutes away from the factory to a customers door on the highway with nobody in it.

Have you ever used or tested FSD recently?

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

The robotaxi rollout was a disaster, thats enough to tell me it doesn't work well. For that its entirely possible that Tesla just had someone remotely control the car and it was just 1 car.

[-]

UpvoteMagnet99@reddit

Come on now you really can’t believe that last part. that would be fraud and the company would get in major ethics trouble for that. I mean it’s not impossible but extremely unlikely and not necessary considering there’s thousands of videos on YouTube of people obviously in the driver seat, but the car is driving itself with no interventions whatsoever.

[-]

Ftpini@reddit

For me it was the simplicity of the Tesla and autopilot aside their avoidance of gimmicks. No silly noises, no extra buttons, everything just worked.

Now the fact that they haven’t meaningfully changed their service centers since the launch of the model 3 doesn’t help. Their extreme cost of repairs when damage happens is terrible. The fact that they always make customers sign an estimate of the out of warranty cost of repairs during warranty work is crazy too.

I sold my model 3 performance and bought a Mustang GT. Were I to buy another EV I’d want one with the simplicity of the Tesla but from another manufacturer. Rivian is the only other EV maker I actually like.

[-]

Ftpini@reddit

I think a lot of people seriously underestimate the impact of that credit. On its face it applies to very few vehicles, but it ignores leases. Almost every EV qualifies for the credit if it’s a lease. Those lease deals are going to dry up quick. And what’s worse, because the bill is retroactive, existing leases are going to get more expensive. EV sales in the US are going fall off a cliff if the BBB passes.

[-]

deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

No rage bait, memes, trolling, copypasta, or low-quality joke posts or comments.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[-]

TenderfootGungi@reddit

Last I looked EV sales continue to grow overall.

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

Yeah somehow they're still growing even though none of the non Tesla models have been able to sell over 100k units a year. I guess they're growing just because there's more EV models now

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

“Buyers aren’t flocking to other brands” - source?

[-]

byerss@reddit

EVs are the better product for a majority of people. Their market share will continue to grow.

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

They still aren't good options for most renters, and here in California electricity is expensive.

[-]

Shmokesshweed@reddit

Your electricity rates are fucked. And I bet they're tiered, such that if you use more than a certain amount per month the cost per kwh gets even more expensive.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

People absolutely want to transition into EV’s. However no one wants to buy anything in the current political and economical climate. Video game spending is WAY down YoY as well.

Watch as everyone’s 1H results start coming out and you’ll see things down across the board, across all consumer goods. Did you all think there wouldn’t be a longer tail to this tariff and instability??

Watch it all unfold (unravel) in the next couple weeks.

[-]

WCWRingMatSound@reddit

That’s me. I want to buy an EV, but in the rural south, the infrastructure needs more maturity.

The biggest problem is that Washington DC is vehemently against supporting that expansion. Fanatical about it. It would seem really silly of me to spend $70,000 on a car that the most powerful politicians in the hemisphere want to make hell to own.

Guess I’ll have to do another decade with hybrids.

[-]

FledglingNonCon@reddit

What EVs cost $70k? Some definitely, but not most. If you look at what people are actually paying for them, especially on leases, they're often cheaper than similar gas cars.

[-]

WCWRingMatSound@reddit

The ones I’m going to buy cost that.

Regardless, even if I buy used, the sentiment is true. It’s not wise to spend $35,000 or $25,000 on a product that politicians desperately want to make a paperweight.

[-]

FledglingNonCon@reddit

To each their own. There is definitely an active effort to slow down the EV market to appease their big oil donors, but not really seeing how they are going to make my vehicle a "paperweight." Me and most other EV owners aren't going back. The infrastructure keeps getting better even with the roadblocks the government is trying to put in place. No, I wouldn't own an EV if I rented an apartment, but the US car market has never really catered to the needs of working class people, so that's nothing new.

[-]

KnowledgePitiful8197@reddit

Many cost more, many cost less... that's not the point of the argument. Point is infrastructure doesn't support EVs at a large scale and in t he countryside.

[-]

wave_action@reddit

Hey we’re into digging for coal at least. ☠️

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

Another case of American politics poisoning absolutely everything. This is how the empire falls, 100%. Everyone is just blazing past.

[-]

Larcya@reddit

I'd love to buy a new vehicle. Either a Ford Bronco or a Mazda CX-70.

But Aint no way in hell I'm buying one until we get a change of leadership. I'm strictly in the buying the bare essentials and pocketing the rest of my paycheck mode.

I'm not the only one too. Tons of people are not buying shit due to the uncertainty with our leadership.

[-]

Ran4@reddit

Do you really need an off road vehicle?

[-]

Larcya@reddit

It's not an offroad vehicle. It's a convertible SUV.

99% of Broncos and wranglers will never see a dirt trail.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

100% with you there.

[-]

max_power1000@reddit

This. Just had to change jobs as a fed contractor. I’m still well paid, and my new company even provides free onsite charging, but I’m not holding my breath seeing what’s happening to my wife’s business (bookkeeping), all of her clients are in the running super tight if not in the red right now. I wanted to buy an EV, but I’m tabling a new car payment indefinitely right now.

[-]

Bradymyhero@reddit

The only EV9s I see around are fleet/rideshare

[-]

HamsterCapable4118@reddit

Nah these numbers require interpretation. For example, I was looking for EV9s a little while back and didn’t find any on the lot. Turns out they had stopped shipping them due to a model year changeover. More than likely they had a screw up in production, and it’s not a reflection of demand.

[-]

primetimecsu@reddit

This is the answer.

Kia pumped out '24 models of the EV9 and there were dozens sitting on lots in the summer/fall of 2024. They then didnt make near as many '25s in anticipation of the '26 changeover, trying to make sure they didnt have an excess inventory of 25s with older tech competing with '26s and having to discount significantly to move the old inventory. They also shifted production for USA to the Georgia plant late 2024 and are just now getting production ramped up to full capacity so the 2026 model would qualify for the $7500 fed tax credit if it sticks around.

Now that '26s are starting to hit dealerships, expect to see similar inventory levels as the 24 later this year.

[-]

corduroy@reddit

I was looking at the EV9 and they made the 2025 models for only a couple months in the USA before they decided to wait and just sell the 2026 model with NACS, etc.

Within a 500 mile radius of me on the East Coast, there were only 2, 2024 used GT line or Land specs these past several months. And those were being sold for nearly the same price as new with the rebates.

[-]

Kaiathebluenose@reddit

Why are you surprised that EV numbers are down for Kia, when they’re declining for every manufacturer

[-]

HamsterCapable4118@reddit

I’m not surprised there’s a decline but a 52% “collapse” suggests there are quirks in the numbers.

[-]

mustangfan12@reddit

In the bay area there's a good amount of EV6s and EV9s on the lot

[-]

HamsterCapable4118@reddit

Now there is. But there was a period where it was virtually zero. (Bay Area)

[-]

DaisyMa1@reddit

That explains why I see 5 Hyundai ads an hour.

[-]

Due_Percentage_1929@reddit

Midsize ICE sedans for the win!

[-]

Ran4@reddit

Absolutely not. Worst possible car to buy new.

[-]

bobjr94@reddit

This another story not mentioning a lack of inventory during a model year changeover that often happens around May - July ? Some of these models did get changes and updates from 2024 to 2025 so they had to stop production for a time.

[-]

aaffpp@reddit

EVs are collapsing in the US market because they are focusing on selling at the high-end. This is the hybrid segment. If they make small city utility cars, student transportation, and urban delivery vehicles, they will sell tons.

[-]

mr_bots@reddit

Are the Kia EVs having the same module failures with long backorder times as the Hyundai counterparts? Plus who wants to deal with a Kia dealership?

[-]

t-poke@reddit

Yes, the ICCU is a problem on all Kia and Hyundai EVs.

If I was fully aware of the problem, I may have reconsidered. But I leased so it won’t be my problem long term.

The dealership experience was…whatever. Every dealership experience sucks balls once you’ve experienced purchasing a Tesla and not dealing with the usual bullshit. I can’t say my experience was any worse than any other traditional automaker. As long as I don’t need any warranty work done, I have zero plans on going there until the lease is up. I can get my tires rotated at Costco for something like 30 bucks. Well, $31.50 once I add in the hot dog.

It’s a good car though. Some things it does better than the Model 3 I had. Some things it does worse. But I have no complaints.

[-]

Hrekires@reddit

Does Kia even want to sell EVs?

Had the same experience at 3 dealerships last month... wanted to test drive a Niro EV, each time the salesman told me that they had to charge it before it could be test driven but that they'd call me the next day if I left my info, and each time I never heard from them again. Lol

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit (OP)

I really don't think Kia should be selling the EV4 in the US/Canadian market. It's not going to sell just like the Ioniq 6. What Kia should have done is transplant the Elantra's hybrid system into the K4. I really don't understand why that hasn't been done yet.

[-]

Exact_Mastodon_7803@reddit

They should be selling the EV3 HARD, though.

[-]

FledglingNonCon@reddit

Sadly not coming for another year.

[-]

XSC@reddit

The EV9 looks really nice but 55k for an electric Kia that will depreciate to 25k in 2 years is a terrible investment.

[-]

ikilledtupac@reddit

Ev6 had a lot of problems, you could get stuck for a week waiting for a part.

[-]

ChefButcherMan@reddit

Most people who wanted and could actually afford a new electric car already own one. As Tesla is finding out expressing interest with a refundable 1 $100 deposit doesn’t tell you much about actual interest. Until charging stations that can put 400 miles into a car in less than 10 minutes are everywhere or electric cars can go a 1000 miles on a charge there will be only so many people willing to buy them voluntarily.

[-]