Kia invests $200 million in producing electric vehicles in Georgia

WEST POINT, Ga. (WDEF) — Around 200 new jobs are coming to Georgia as Kia plans to assemble new electric vehicles, Governor Brian Kemp announced on Wednesday.

Kia will be manufacturing new 2024 EV9 SUVs, with three rows of seats at Kia Georgia. The company is investing more than $200 million in this new venture.

Governor Kemp said the assembly of these new vehicles should begin in the second quarter of 2024.

This adds to Kia Georgia’s current manufacturing of the Telluride, Sorento and Sportage SUVs, as well as the K5 sedan.

Kia Georgia in West Point (kiageorgia.com)

Kemp added that over 40% of Kias sold in the U.S. are manufactured in West Point. In addition, he says Kia ships vehicles from Georgia to markets all over the world, including Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Middle East and Pacific countries.

The EV9 is Kia’s first three-row EV SUV. It is also the first electric vehicle Kia has assembled in North America.

Kia has currently invested nearly $2 billion into Georgia. They have added over 14,000 jobs in the region, officials stated in a press release.

“Georgia’s longstanding partnership with Kia has led to generational job creation and growth for the West Point area,” said Governor Kemp. “As a national leader in the automotive industry, I am proud of Kia’s continued impact on the Peach State. As we noted earlier this year, this project will both bring more opportunity to hardworking Georgians and help propel the state toward our goal of becoming the e-mobility capital.”