Kia Mexico announced a $649 million investment to strengthen its operations in Pesquería, Nuevo León, where it will produce the Kia EV3, the brand’s first electric vehicle assembled in Mexico and the first of this model manufactured outside of Korea.

The investment, which will be carried out between 2026 and 2028, is the most important made by the automaker in the country since the start of operations of its plant in 2016 and contemplates the generation of 500 new direct jobs this year and 1,500 by 2030.

During the Mexican government ‘s morning press conference, Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard emphasized that the project strengthens the country’s manufacturing capacity at a time of uncertainty for the global automotive industry.

“This is great news because it allows us to produce an electric vehicle in Mexico with a number of very advanced and highly competitive features,” he said.

The official explained that the EV3 will begin production on August 4th and that the vehicle will start with a national content of around 27%, a percentage that will increase as the integration of local suppliers strengthens.

He also emphasized that the investment responds to one of the central objectives of the Mexico Plan , focused on increasing the national content of manufacturing production and attracting high value-added projects.

“In a time of such uncertainty regarding the automotive industry, tariffs and new rules, this decision means that this company is seeing productivity and investment opportunities in Mexico and is making a decision that means technology, jobs and economic activity,” he stated.

In addition to allocating more than $260 million to the new EV3 production line , Kia will invest in sustainable infrastructure within its manufacturing complex, including expanding its solar power park and building a second water recycling plant.

Andy Kim, president and CEO of Kia Mexico, stated that the investments are part of the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy and are aligned with the objectives of the Mexico Plan.

“During these eleven years, thanks to the firm conviction of Made in Mexico for Mexico, Kia Mexico has grown in tandem with the Mexican economy,” he said.

For her part, Marianela Calderón, Director of Administration and Employee Experience, explained that the investments are based on four pillars: talent development, renewable energy, responsible water management, and electric mobility.

He explained that the plant is currently building a two-megawatt solar park, with a planned expansion to eight megawatts by 2030 , in addition to a new treatment plant that will allow the reuse of around 70% of the treated water used in operations.

The executive also highlighted the importance of the company’s supply chain, which includes more than 85,000 people in direct and indirect jobs, as well as the recent recognition of the Pesquería plant as one of the highest quality in the automotive industry on the continent.

Mexico, platform for the new generation of electric vehicles

Horacio Chávez, managing director of Kia Motors Mexico, stated that the project represents a strategic step to position the country within the transformation towards electric mobility.

“For the first time in our history, we will produce and market a fully electric vehicle in Mexico. This commitment is realized with the Kia EV3, which will be proudly made in Mexico,” he stated.

In addition to vehicle production, the project includes the development of charging solutions for homes, public spaces, and mobile roadside assistance using vehicle-to-vehicle charging technology, with the aim of facilitating the adoption of electric vehicles in the Mexican market.

Currently, the Pesquería plant is Kia’s only facility in Mexico. Since its opening in 2016, it has received an initial investment of one billion dollars and has contributed to the creation of more than 80,000 direct and indirect jobs.

With this new investment, the automaker incorporates Mexico into the global production of the EV3, a line that until now was manufactured exclusively in Korea, reinforcing the country’s position as a platform for the manufacture of new generation vehicles.

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KIA Mexico and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the development of joint initiatives in talent, innovation, applied research and academic outreach , with the purpose of empowering new generations

The signing of the agreement took place at the facilities of said academic institution, with the participation of Young Sam Kim, president of KIA Mexico, and Juan Pablo Murra, rector of ITESM.

“For KIA Mexico, the growth and innovation of future professionals is very important; therefore, we are convinced that this alliance represents our commitment to local talent, and we are proud to work hand in hand with an institution that seeks to train the next generations of leaders,” highlighted Young Sam Kim.

During the meeting, several topics were highlighted regarding the development of various practical and understanding activities for students, such as manufacturing processes, innovation development , and internal communication.

In addition, topics such as talent development were highlighted, with the purpose of generating a broader overview of what was learned in the various engineering and bachelor’s degree programs.

The agreement will allow higher education students to gain formative experiences in an innovative environment , learning about the tools and processes in the automotive industry .

Also to generate critical thinking that seeks the application of new tools and ideas for improvement in production processes .

With this agreement, both institutions reflect their commitment to sustainable development, talent development and the generation of long-term shared value, focused on skills development .

KIA has 52,000 employees worldwide, and has a presence in more than 190 markets and manufacturing plants in six countries; in addition, it sells around three million vehicles a year.

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Its K3 model surpassed 50,000 units sold, breaking the record for November sales for the second year in a row, by selling 10,000 vehicles, the South Korean automaker said in a statement.

Among the most outstanding achievements of the plant located in Nuevo León, is the Bronze Plant Award, from JD Power , which guarantees the quality of its units and the activities they carry out internally in their processes and facilities.

“One proof of this quality is the safety of its processes, accumulating seven years without accidents in critical production areas,” the firm highlighted.

For its part, the Latin NCAP organization has certified the K3 and K4 models with five stars in its safety tests, demonstrating that they comply with the regulations in the matter, “making it possible to start exporting vehicles to Europe with the Kia K4 Hatchback.”

KIA Mexico also obtained the TRe certificate from the Nuevo León Labor Secretariat , as well as the Great Place To Work seal recognition , which demonstrates “employee satisfaction during their daily activities at the facilities.”

The company reaffirmed its social and environmental commitment with community programs, educational initiatives, and sustainability projects in Mexico.

In that regard, the automaker celebrated the inauguration of its solar plant with a capacity of two megawatts that will help reduce energy consumption during its processes, as well as a water treatment plant capable of recycling 1.2 million liters of water per day.

“Their activities aim to transform them into a zero-emissions plant, with a virtuous cycle of processes in which their eco-friendly uniforms are made with 100% recycled PET and, in turn, donating more than five tons of PET to the Children’s Anti-Cancer Alliance, which benefits not only patients, but also their families,” he highlighted.

As part of its social responsibility, it has helped the development of the community by empowering new generations through various activities that promote leadership and innovation.

“One of their main activities is KIA STEM, which aims to spark the interest of high school students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In this second edition, they welcomed more than 350 students, who received mentoring and learned about design thinking , developing more than 25 initiatives that seek to address areas for improvement in their communities and schools,” he explained.

Magnetism classes were also given to elementary school students in Pesquería, with more than a thousand students benefiting.

With the KIA District – Good Neighbor program, the company seeks to contribute to the development of the neighborhood community in the Colinas del Aeropuerto neighborhood , in partnership with the organization Paz Es , so various activities were carried out, such as the cleaning brigade and a neighborhood fair.

In addition, through the KIA Inspiring Care program, a donation of over 1.5 million pesos was made to support disaster relief efforts in Veracruz. Furthermore, 185 wishes have been granted in collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation Mexico , 480 vision restoration surgeries have been performed with the Cinépolis Foundation , and free cancer treatments have been provided to vulnerable children through Casa de la Amistad, with donations made possible by each purchase of the K3 and K4 models.

With 10 years of presence in Mexico, KIA reaffirmed its commitment to the community and its customers through the aforementioned activities and programs.

The company has 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in more than 190 markets and manufacturing plants in six countries, and sells around three million vehicles a year.

Main image taken from the X account  @KiaMexico .

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KIA Mexico celebrates its first 10 years of commercial operations in Mexico in 2025 , and nine years of production operations at its complex located in Pesquería, Nuevo León.

With steady progress in the national market, KIA Mexico achieved a record sale of nine thousand units last September , with a cumulative total of 81,146 vehicles.

The achievements in the market are also reflected in manufacturing activity, where the Pesquería plant has not only diversified its export destinations, reaching regions such as North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and recently in 2024 to Australia and in 2025 to Europe.

In these milestones achieved by the manufacturing plant in Mexico, logistics operations are key, and for this reason KIA has emphasized consolidating a supplier ecosystem that allows aligning objectives with synchronized and efficient operations.

That is why, since 2024, the KIA Logistics team , headed by Susana Téllez, has organized an annual event called the “KIA Logistics Summit” , where they bring together the main logistics providers, such as customs agents, shipping companies, port terminals, transport companies, among others.

Therefore, Young Sam Kim, president of KIA Mexico, opened the activities of the Logistics Summit 2025 at the KIA Campus , highlighting the innovation, continuity and constant improvement of the brand.

At the second edition of KIA Mexico’s Logistics Summit, logistics providers were able to confirm the growth of manufacturing operations and the impact it has on the need for supply materials, but also the forecast with constant growth on the horizon towards 2030, both in cross-border movements with the United States, as well as in port operations.

Today, KIA is the fifth largest vehicle brand in Mexico , some of which are manufactured at its plant in Pesquería, Nuevo León. The expansion of export destinations and its growth in the domestic market are projected to drive a 43% increase between 2024 and the 2030 forecast .

This dynamic could translate into a 48% increase in maritime shipments by 2030 compared to last year, while cross-border freight will double over the same period.

The perspectives shared by Ricardo Ortega Márquez, General Purchasing Senior Manager of KIA Mexico, are combined with various projections that fall into four major spheres: geopolitics, where the attacks on the Red Sea, the war in Ukraine and the tension between China and Taiwan converge; the disruption of supply chains, with variables such as weather conditions, shortage of materials, change of routes and security in operations.

The other two major areas are regulatory changes , focused on sustainability laws and the updating of customs in Mexico; the other scenario is technology trends, motivated by the lack of talent and having effective traceability of shipments.

To be aligned with its logistics providers, KIA understands that challenges must be addressed with a carefully designed and personalized response that focuses on the brand’s operational standards, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and compliance in all processes, explained Ricardo Ortega.

To achieve this, there is the management of certifications, such as the AEO or CTPAT, fiscal deposit, as well as others focused on customs issues , in addition to customs authorities, port terminals, shipping lines and motor transport companies.

The KIA Mexico Logistics Summit 2025 was held at the KIA Campus , the facilities the brand has for training all its staff who directly serve customers at dealerships nationwide.

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With the aim of fostering interest in education that integrates skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as STEM , as well as in the environment, KIA Mexico has implemented in 2025 a series of activities aimed at more than 500 primary and secondary school students in Nuevo León .

These initiatives are part of the automaker’s commitment to the educational and social development of the community and were developed in collaboration with specialists from the plant. The activities took place in educational institutions throughout the region, providing students with valuable academic and practical learning experiences .

Among the activities are the magnetism workshops , designed for elementary school students, in which the workings of magnets and magnetic fields were explained in a didactic way.

Through interactive activities, participants were able to apply the knowledge they had acquired, strengthening their understanding of fundamental scientific concepts, KIA Mexico announced in a statement.

Sessions focused on environmental awareness were also given , with topics such as water conservation through everyday actions that students can replicate in their homes.

In addition, classes were offered on the correct identification and separation of waste , promoting recycling, reuse and waste reduction practices, with a playful and educational approach.

With these initiatives, KIA Mexico reaffirms its commitment to the comprehensive development of new generations, promoting an interactive education that inspires young people to build a more sustainable and conscious future, the company stated.

According to Hays , a company that offers recruitment and workforce solutions, the demand for specialized technology talent has grown 47% since 2019, reflecting the need to fill positions in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation, among other disciplines related to STEM skills.

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The KIA plant , located in Pesquería, Nuevo León, began exporting the first units of the K4 Hatchback vehicle to Europe and Australia.

“In addition to celebrating the tenth anniversary of our arrival in Mexico and receiving the highest quality honors in Mexico and the first award for the KIA plant, we are adding another chapter to our success story,” said Young Sam Kim, president of KIA Mexico.

A right-hand drive K4 Hatchback destined for the UK will be the first unit to be exported.

In addition to the United Kingdom, the model will be exported to 16 countries, including Germany, Spain, Poland, Slovakia , and others, as well as Australia . This brings the total number of countries with the full K4 lineup, including the sedan and hatchback, to 44.

The K4 Hatchback is a variant of the K4 Sedan, which is also manufactured at the KIA Mexico plant in Nuevo León, and together with the K3 subcompact, have obtained the highest safety scores, according to the most recent results of the Latin American New Car Assessment Program , known as Latin NCAP, which is the main entity that certifies the safety of new vehicles in Latin America through a series of rigorous crash tests and pedestrian safety measurements.

All versions of the K3 and K4 are offered with the most advanced automated driver assistance systems (ADAS). Both models are now available in Mexico, Kia stated in a statement.

Samuel García , governor of Nuevo León, highlighted KIA Mexico’s workmanship, which “stands out worldwide for its quality and precision.”

“In Nuevo León, we are very grateful to companies like KIA that invest in improving the industry and make it possible to continue supporting Nuevo León’s innovation system,” explained García, who shared that the state’s annual exports “are expected to reach $66 billion this year, and of that amount, the local automotive industry, led by KIA Mexico, contributes 30 percent.”

KIA has 52,000 employees worldwide and is present in more than 190 markets. It also has manufacturing plants in six countries, with sales of approximately three million vehicles annually.

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