Young Buyers Eye Chinese EVs, Kia's EV SUV, Mobile Superchargers

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It’s a busy Thursday as we roll towards the holiday weekend. Today, we explore the surprising interest in Chinese EVs among young Americans, Kia's launch of a new compact electric SUV amid cooling EV demand, and Yoshi Mobility's innovative mobile fast charging solution for EVs.

Show Notes with links:

• A recent survey by AutoPacific reveals that younger Americans are increasingly open to purchasing vehicles from Chinese brands, despite privacy worries.
  • 35% of respondents aged 18 to 80 would consider a Chinese car.
  • 76% of those under 40 are open to buying a Chinese vehicle, compared to only 26% of those over 60.
  • Ed Kim, President of AutoPacific, attributes this trend because it's easier to see what’s happening in other parts of the world, saying “Social media has simply just made the world a lot smaller,”
  • Privacy concerns are significant, with over 70% of respondents expressing worry across all age groups.
  • Manufacturing Chinese vehicles in the U.S. could increase purchase willingness among 16% of respondents.
  • "[Negative] political connotations associated with China just don't apply to younger people," said Kim

• Kia has introduced its first compact electric SUV, the EV3, built on its dedicated EV platform, aiming to attract buyers with competitive pricing despite a cooling global EV market.
  • The EV3 is part of Hyundai Motor Group's plan to introduce over 31 electric models by 2030.
  • The EV3 will be priced between $35,000 and $50,000 and offers two battery options with a long-range model capable of 600 kilometers (373 miles) on a single charge.
  • Kia plans to achieve an annual sales target of 200,000 units worldwide, although they declined to say what year that target is for.
  • Kia aims to sell approximately 1.6 million EV units by 2030.
  • "We are making the EV3 very much accessible to our customers with the pricing level that customers are expecting for our vehicle," said Kia President Song Ho Sung.

• Yoshi Mobility has launched a mobile DC fast charging unit, dubbed "a supercharger on wheels," to address the need for convenient EV charging where infrastructure is lacking.
  • The 240 kW mobile DC fast charger can provide multiple charges in a single trip.
  • It is mounted on GM BrightDrop Zevo 600s, with more vehicles to be added through 2024.
  • Initial customers include “major OEMs, autonomous vehicle companies, and rideshare operators” that don’t yet have grid-connected EV chargers.
  • The service can be deployed within 10 days once under contract.
  • Full commercialization is expected by Q1 2025.
  • "We recognized a demand among our customers for convenient daily charging," said Dan Hunter, Yoshi Mobility’s chief EV officer and cofounder.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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