Kia America reports 60,422 car sales in the United States in December, which is 25 percent more than a year ago and a new best-ever December. Year-to-date, the company sold 693,549 units – only 1.1 percent less than a year ago – which is amazing, considering that the brand was roughly 12 percent off in the middle of the year.
The South Korean manufacturer says also that sales of its electrified models increased in December by 142 percent year-over-year, but does not provide the numbers.
Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America said:
“In 2022, Kia accelerated its momentum to deliver best-ever retail sales, including the best ever year for Kia SUVs and utilities. Customers are taking notice that when it comes to electrification, Kia is a brand to watch as we launched six electrified vehicles in 2022. Sales of Kia’s electrified offerings increased and three of Kia’s SUVs also set annual sales records, offering further proof that we have the right mix of products to sustain this positive momentum long into the future.”
The all-electric Kia EV6, after a very strong start in early 2022, noted several slower months. In December, things improved slightly, and EV6 sales amounted to 1,107 (up from just 641 in November). That’s about 1.8% of the total volume.
That’s a good sign, just like in the case of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, although for sure there was an appetite for better results.
During the fourth quarter, 2,934 Kia EV6s were delivered to customers in the US, while in 2022, the total sales amounted to 20,498. That’s about 3.0 percent of the total market.
It will be very interesting to see what will happen in 2023, as the Kia EV6 probably will not be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
A strengthening of the EV6 family soon will be the performance-oriented Kia EV6 GT version (above the GT-Line trim), which can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds.
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Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not report sales of other plug-in models, as they are counted together with conventional or non-rechargeable hybrid versions.
According to our data (from a different data set provided by the manufacturer), during the first 11 months of the year, Kia sold over 7,600 Kia Niro EVs in the US.
The latest new model in Kia’s plug-in lineup is the Kia Sportage PHEV model, which offers up to 32 miles (51 km) of all-electric range.
