Kia America announced that it sold its ten millionth vehicle in the United States this week. The car purchased at Car Pros Moreno Valley in California was a red all-electric EV6 model.
The buyer, Monti Charoenphong, said her family has driven Kia vehicles for years and that once they saw the EV6, “there was no question this would be [their] next car.”
Kia America’s Chief Executive Officer, Sean Yoon, said, “Selling 10 million vehicles is a significant achievement, and we at Kia are proud not only how far we’ve come but also what the future has in store as we continue our push for sustainable mobility leadership.”
To celebrate the milestone, the automaker said it would be making $10,000 donations to various organizations, including Freedom Service Dogs of America and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Kia is one of the newest brands in the U.S., as it opened four Portland-based dealerships in 1992. The first model sold was the Sephia compact car, produced from 1992 to 2003. This was followed by the Kia Sportage, which is still in production today.
Kia filed for bankruptcy in 1997 amid the financial crisis in Asia, and Hyundai Motor Company outbid Ford Motor Company to acquire a 51% stake in the automaker. Since then, Kia has released several new models in the U.S. and has entered into many notable partnerships and sponsorships throughout the country.
Kia still has plans for its lineup to be fully electric by 2040.
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