Kia builds EV3 prototypes in Mexico

Kia has started building EV3 test vehicles at its plant in Pesquería, Mexico, ahead of a United States launch scheduled for summer 2026. (electrek.co) Electrek reported that Kia built 15 EV3 units in March at the Nuevo León factory, citing new registration data. Kia’s United States site says the 2027 EV3 is “coming this summer” and warns that initial inventory will be limited. (electrek.co) (kia.com) The EV3 is a compact electric sport utility vehicle, smaller than the Kia EV9 and aimed at buyers shopping below the EV6. Kia says the United States version will offer up to 320 miles of estimated range on the Wind front-wheel-drive trim and charge from 10% to 80% in 29 minutes on the Light trim. (kia.com) Prototype builds are the stage before full production, when an automaker tests assembly steps, checks parts from suppliers, and sends early vehicles onto roads and proving grounds. Electrek said some EV3 test vehicles had already been spotted on public roads before the March production tally surfaced. (electrek.co) Mexico matters because Kia already has an operating factory in Pesquería, and the company presents it as its only plant in Latin America. Kia Mexico says the site uses more than 350 welding robots and installs more than 30,000 components per vehicle during assembly. (kia.com) Kia confirmed the EV3 for North America at the New York International Auto Show on April 1, 2026, ending months of uncertainty after the EV4 was delayed in the United States. Electrek reported that Kia plans to sell the EV3 in the United States by the end of 2026, while Kia’s consumer site now points to a summer 2026 arrival. (electrek.co) (kia.com) The United States model uses Kia’s 400-volt Electric-Global Modular Platform, which is the car’s battery-and-motor architecture, and it comes with a built-in North American Charging Standard port. Kia also says the EV3 will support vehicle-to-load power output, which lets the battery run devices such as laptops or campsite lighting. (kia.com) (electrek.co) Pricing is still undisclosed, but Electrek expects the EV3 to start around $35,000 because it will sit below the EV6, which the outlet said starts at $42,900 in the 2026 model year. In the United Kingdom, Electrek said the EV3 starts at about £27,000 before taxes, or roughly $35,500 at recent exchange rates. (electrek.co 1) (electrek.co 2) The EV3 has already been on sale outside the United States since late 2024, and Electrek said it became the third-best-selling electric vehicle in the United Kingdom and a top-10 model in Europe during 2025. Kia’s next step in Mexico is not the reveal anymore; it is turning those first 15 prototypes into a saleable supply of cars for a summer launch. (electrek.co)