Kia’s low-cost EVs are taking over, now comes its first EV sedan

Kia’s new EV3 and EV5 are already climbing the sales charts in several key markets. With more low-cost EVs arriving this year, including the EV4, its first electric sedan (and hatch), this could be just the start to Kia’s global sales run.

Kia’s low-cost EVs are hot sellers

After selling nearly 275,000 vehicles globally in April, Kia said new models, such as the smaller EV3 electric SUV, helped boost sales.

The EV3 was Kia’s top-selling EV in Korea again last month. Kia EV3 opened orders in South Korea last June, starting at about $30,700 (KRW 39.95 million). With incentives, the compact electric SUV can be bought for under $30,000.

In November, Kia launched the EV3 in Europe, starting at around €35,990 ($40,700). After sales kicked off in the UK earlier this year, the EV3 was the best-selling retail EV and the fourth top-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.

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Kia’s global sales surge is aging momentum in other key overseas markets, including Australia. Through April, Kia’s other compact electric SUV, the EV5, was the fourth-best-selling EV with 1,509 units sold.

According to data from TheDriven, the EV5 trails only the Tesla Model Y (3,394), Model 3 (2,266), and MG MG4 (1,698).

Kia’s electric SUV is beating out all BYD models in Australia, including the Atto 3, Seal, and new Sealion 7 (At least, for now).

The EV3, on the other hand, is currently the ninth top-selling EV model, beating out the Volvo EX30. BYD Dolphin and Toyota bZ4X.

Despite record sales in the US in April for the seventh straight month, Kia’s electric vehicle sales took a hit. EV6 sales plunged 68% while sales of its first three-row electric SUV, the EV9, fell 85%.

Kia said new models, like the EV4 and EV3, will “drive growth and reinforce its global electrification leadership” as they are introduced in new markets.

After opening EV4 orders in Korea in March at around $28,000 (41.92 million won), Kia will expand sales to Europe later this year and other global markets, including the US, in 2026. The EV3 is also expected to launch in the US later this year or early 2026, starting at around $35,000.