Kia America reported 60,275 vehicle sales in the United States in December, which is basically on par with December 2022. In the whole of 2023, the company sold 782,451 vehicles (up 12.8% year-over-year), setting a new annual record (12% better than the previous one from 2021).
December brings very positive results for Kia’s all-electric car sales, thanks to the newly launched Kia EV9 SUV.
In December, Kia’s E-GMP-based electric cars noted 2,362 sales, which is 113% more than a year ago and 3.9% of the brand’s total volume.
This number consists of 1,249 EV6 (up 13%) and 1,113 EV9 (its first full month on the market). On top of that comes an undisclosed number of Kia Niro EVs (data is not available yet because it’s counted together with the ICE version, but it usually averages around a thousand units a month).
Kia BEV sales last month (YOY change):
- Kia EV6: 1,249 (up 13%)
- Kia EV9: 1,113 (new)
- Kia Niro EV: N/A
During the fourth quarter of 2023, Kia sold 5,199 E-GMP-based electric cars (up 77% year-over-year), which represents 2.9% of the total volume.
In all of 2023, Kia sold more than 18,800 EV6s in the U.S., which is about 8% less than a year ago (due to a weak first half of the year). Together with over 1,100 EV9s and probably 11-12 thousand Niro EVs, the company definitely exceeded 30,000 (maybe even reached 32,000).
That would be a tenth more than in 2022 and about 4% of the brand’s total volume. It’s not a spectacular result, but let’s remember that it was a challenging year, with EV6 sales weakening in its second year on the market—without direct eligibility for the $7,500 federal tax credit (only through a leasing option), while Tesla applied very significant price cuts putting big pressure on the broader EV segment.
Kia BEV sales year-to-date (YOY change):
- Kia EV6: 18,879 (down 8%)
- Kia EV9: 1,118 (new)
- Kia Niro EV: N/A
- Total: probably up to around 32,000
For reference, during the 12 months of 2022, Kia sold 20,498 EV6 in the US and an additional 8,209 Niro EV, which in total translated into over 28,700 units.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not report sales of other plug-in models, as they are counted together with conventional or non-rechargeable hybrid versions.
The true picture of Kia’s electric vehicle expansion probably will emerge in 2024, especially once the company begins local production of the Kia EV9 in the U.S. at West Point, Georgia. See the full overview of the model pricing and main specs here.
Seungkyu (Sean) Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America said: “Kia is clearly a brand on the move. Our rugged SUVs and innovative EVs are our greatest strength, and demand across the Kia lineup reached all-time highs in 2023. Groundbreaking vehicles like our new flagship EV9 EV three-row SUV showcase Kia’s unique ability to elevate expectations and push boundaries, and we intend to accelerate our growth trajectory in 2024 with a combination of six all-new and significantly redesigned products scheduled to arrive in showrooms.”
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