The Kia EV3 will go on sale soon, with production set to begin in Mexico next week

Kia opened pre-orders for the EV3 in Mexico, where the electric SUV will be built and shipped to the US later this year.

Kia EV3 pre-orders open in Mexico as US launch nears

On Wednesday morning, during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s “Mañanera del Pueblo,” or daily press conference, Kia Mexico’s managing director, Horacia Chavez, announced the Korean automaker will invest $649 million over the next two years to produce electric vehicles in the region.

“This is very good news for Mexico,” Sheinbaum said. The EV3 will be the first electric vehicle Kia builds and sells in the region.

Kia will begin production of the EV3 at its plant in Pesquería, Nuevo León, next week, on August 4. The investment will help create 500 new jobs this year and another 1,500 by 2030.

Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon said Kia’s investment represents Mexico’s efforts to produce more EVs domestically for both domestic sale and export.

He reiterated Mexico wants “the best possible relationship” with the United States and fair trade agreements under the USMCA. The next round of talks, which will take place in the first week of September, “will allow us to have a clear understanding of the correlation between Mexico and the rest of the countries,” he added.

The EV3, which Kia previously built only in South Korea, will be produced in Mexico and exported to the US, starting later this year.

Kia EV3 pre-orders open in Mexico as US launch nears

After building the first prototypes in March, Kia opened pre-orders for the EV3 in Mexico this week, its compact electric SUV that will be produced and sold domestically.

The 2027 Kia EV3 will be available in Standard Range EX and Extended Range SXL trims. The former uses a 58.3 kWh battery, providing a WLTP range of up to 436 km (270 miles), while the latter has a larger 81.4 kWh battery, delivering up to 605 km (375 miles).

On Mercado Libre, the Kia EV3 SXL is available to pre-order, starting at 767,700 pesos, or about $44,000.

In the US, the 2027 Kia EV3 will be available in five trims later this year: Light, Wind, Land, GT-Line, and GT. The base Light version uses the same 58.3 kWh battery, which Kia estimates will provide up to 220 miles of range under EPA conditions.

Higher-priced trims, including the Wind, Land, GT-Line, and GT trims, will be available with the extended-range (81.4 kWh) battery with an estimated EPA range of up to 320 miles in the Front Wheel Drive models.

All-wheel drive (AWD) will be optional on Wind and Land trims and standard on the GT-Line and GT variants.

Based on the 400V E-GMP platform, the EV3 Light with the 58.3 kWh battery can charge from 10% to 80% in about 29 minutes. The 81.4 kWh battery takes slightly longer at around 31 minutes. The North American model also has a native NACS charge port.

Kia will launch the 2027 EV3 in the US by the end of the year. We will learn prices soon, but the EV3 is expected to start at around $35,000, making it one of the most affordable EVs in the US.