Kia Set to Produce the EV3 in Pesquería, NL

Kia confirmed that in the coming days it will officially begin production of the EV3 compact crossover at its plant in Pesquería, Nuevo León, marking the first time the South Korean automaker will assemble 100% electric vehicles in Mexico.

The launch of the program is accompanied by an investment of $649 million (mdd) to be made between 2026 and 2028 to expand the manufacturing facility’s capacity, although no specific production volume was mentioned.

However, it will create 500 new direct jobs this year and an additional 1,500 between 2027 and 2030.

The project was announced by Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, accompanied by executives from the Hyundai Motor Company subsidiary, during the usual morning press conference held by Federal Executive Claudia Shiembaum, who described the announcement as “a sign of confidence in the country.”

Although the official stated that production of the EV3 will officially begin on August 4, it is worth noting that last March, Kia reported to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) the assembly of the first 15 units of the electric vehicle at the plant in Nuevo León, which were likely pre-production prototypes.

Ebrard added that the model will have 27% domestic content at launch, a figure that will increase as the project progresses, in line with the objectives of Plan México, though he did not specify a concrete target.

During his remarks, Kia Mexico’s commercial director, Horacio Chávez, explained that the project is not limited to producing electric vehicles in the country but also includes the development of an ecosystem to facilitate their adoption.

To that end, the company will accompany the launch with concrete actions such as the installation of charging solutions for homes and public spaces, the rollout of assistance services, and the availability of vehicle-to-vehicle mobile charging systems to address emergencies caused by low battery levels.