EVs for Everyone, Competing with Tesla, Robot Dogs & Saving Turtles - Kia's Plans for North America

The Kia brand is gaining popularity by offering a wide range of vehicles and supporting good causes. Russel Wager, vice president of marketing Kia North America, sat down with Auto Future and talked about Kia's vehicles, and the Kia brand.

"We offer choices for everybody, whether you want a sporty sedan, a capable SUV, or an innovative EV. We offer that for you," says Wager.

He says Kia's biggest market before Korea is America. Formerly Southern California used to be the biggest market in the US for Kia. However, now Kia is covering most of the country.

"We call it the smile. Historically, it was the West Coast, down through Texas, towards the South, and then a little bit up. But lately, we have populated the Midwest and Northeast. So, we really don't have a weak area right now," he explains.

The Inflation Reduction Act with an EV tax credit that requires final assembly in the US accelerated the building of the Hyundai Motor Group's latest American factory.

"We just broke ground on the Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia. The Hyundai Motor Group plant will produce both Kia and Hyundai vehicles. We were planning to build that plant even before the inflation Reduction Act. Due to the act, we decided to do whatever we can to move it up."

He says the end goal is to be 100% electrified. However, Kia expects that it is not going to happen in the next two or three years. So, Kia is bringing a new EV to market every year for the next four years. The EV6 came out this year. The EV 9 is coming next year.

"Then we have got one each EV in big segments coming in for the next three years." 

Logo Change Reflects Kia Brand

In January 2021, Kia changed its logo to better reflect its values.

The logo change represents what the brand is moving towards. The brand is moving towards sustainable mobility solutions. A big portion of that planning strategy is electrification - but not just 100% EVs. For example, the Kia Sportage, the best seller this year, has a gas engine, a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The Sorento has a gas engine, a hybrid and a plug-in. The Niro also has those options, says Wager.

"Because of the success of Telluride, our three-row SUV that everyone loves and wants more, we have increased production."

"Kia has a wide range of electrified choices. We will continue to add more. And we will continue to add some gas engines. The Seltos that was introduced at the LA Auto Show has a gas engine. So, customers will have choices," says Wager, "We make sure they have all the options."

Kia is moving towards more Gen Z and Gen Y customers, where it has some of the most growth and brand adoption.

"They don't have predispositions. When they discover a new logo, a new offering and new capabilities like electrified, they think that's a pretty cool brand."

Kia has an understanding of its young customers with sporty sedans, capable SUVs and new electric vehicles.

"I think we have been consistent in our messaging for the last four years. We know who we are, and customers are starting to understand. We make sporty sedans. Every single one of our sedans whether it's a Forte or K5 comes with a turbo option or with the GT Line. The GT Line looks like the turbo option but doesn't have the big engine like a sporty car." 

"Our SUVs are capable and rugged, whether you want the entry-level Seltos or the top-of-the-line Telluride. The younger crowd wants sporty. The younger crowd wants capable. The younger crowd wants some kind of electrification. They now have the choices from Kia," he adds.

Caring About Dogs, Turtles and Children with Donations

The younger crowd likes to be entertained and inspired, whether by Robodog or through charitable elements, says Wager.

Robodog was introduced in January in the EV 6 commercial. Kia dealers are going to sell Robodog toys. Then Kia will donate to Pet Finders for each one sold.

Kia is also helping to save turtles in Texas.

A modified Kia Sportage cleaned the sand and cleared beaches in Texas. Then the sea turtles could come in from the sea and lay their eggs and have a greater survival rate through a partnership with Sea Turtle Inc. in Padre Island, Texas.

Kia donated a vehicle designed to help Set Turtle Inc. catch, harvest the eggs and then release them back in. Kia made a financial donation so that they can keep doing their good work, Wager reports.

During year-end sales as part of the Kia 'Accelerate The Good' charity program, for every car Kia sells and delivers in the US. Kia will make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with a minimum total donation of $ 1 million, he notes.

"Kia found that when somebody is considering a vehicle, at the end of the day, they usually get a list down to two or three. Then they start evaluating not only the features but also look at what the brand stands for and if they want to be part of that brand. Price still matters to a certain extent. But what the brand is about matters just as much." 

Kia is committed to sustainability in its vehicles

He says Kia headliners are made out of eucalyptus leaves. Some floor mats are made out of recycled wallpaper. The seats in the EV6 are made from recycled PET bottles.

Kia partnered with The Ocean Cleanup. The group has boats that take the PET or plastic out of the river before going to the ocean. The plastic harvested by The Ocean Cleanup will be recycled and used in Kia production processes.

Competing with Tesla

The Kia EV6 has super-fast charging that outperforms Tesla EVs. The EV6 crossover offers 800 V fast charging - that can provide an 80% charge in 18 minutes. It comes with 3 years or 1,000 kWh complimentary charging from Electrify America.

In fact, the Kia EV6 holds the Guinness record for fast charging on a cross-country trip from New York to Los Angeles. The Kia EV6 was plugged in for 7 hours, 10 minutes and 1 second - shorter than the previous record holder, Tesla, by more than five and a half hours (12 hours, 48 minutes, and 19 seconds).

"The EV6 went on sale in February. In the first six months of the EV6 sales with the Niro EV, we were the number two EV brand behind Tesla. We were ahead of General Motors and Ford. I like to think it is because we had something people wanted," says Wager.