Kia Is Joining the Commercial EV Game with Style
Electric vehicles are taking over the commercial market, too. Will Kia’s upcoming models make their way to the U.S.?
Commercial vans
might not be the sexiest vehicles on the market, but they’re becoming increasingly popular as the auto industry transitions toward electric vehicles. In the U.S., auto giants like Ford, Ram, and Mercedes have dominated the market, and electric versions of their popular models—the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster, and Mercedes Sprinter—are already available or on their way.
Kia’s commercial line is well underway
Most Americans know Kia as the South Korean brand that has quickly upgraded its image in the past few years, evolving from an economy brand to an
award-winning SUV
builder. But Kia already entered the commercial vehicle game in 1980, when it debuted the Bongo cab-over truck. The Bongo is still in production today, though the company does not sell new models in the U.S.
As for the new electric models, the first one Kia teased was the Niro Plus, a taller, longer version of the crossover that will serve as a taxi or ride-hailing vehicle in South Korea.
Three more were added in May—a mid-sized van, a
microbus
, and a larger model—along with plans to build a new plant that will exclusively produce the company’s “purpose-built” models.Kia’s (potential competition) in the U.S.
It’s not clear whether Americans will get access to Kia’s upcoming commercial EVs, and if history is any predictor, things aren’t looking good. But on the chance that the automaker does bring them across the Pacific, they have some pretty steep competition to deal with.
A number of commercial electric vans are already available here. Ford, Rivian, and GM-owned BrightDrop already have models on the road, though
Rivian’s Prime Van
is still exclusive to Amazon, one of the EV Startup’s biggest investors.Well-established brands like Ram and Mercedes plan to start delivering their electric vans to buyers in 2023, and
Top Electric SUV
says newcomers like Blue Arc, Bollinger, and Canoo
plan to offer electric vans for commercial use as well.Car insurance for commercial vans
Whether you’re looking for an electric model or you’d rather stick with gas for now, be aware that commercial vans are normally more expensive to insure than personal vehicles, especially if used for their intended purpose (commercial use).
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