Kia builds the EV3 in Nuevo León, its first electric car made in Mexico, backed by a US$649M investment

On August 4, 2026, at the esplanade of the Government Palace in Monterrey, Kia unveiled the EV3: the first electric vehicle the brand manufactures in Mexico, and the first electric car ever produced in Nuevo León's history.

The model is assembled only in Nuevo León and shipped from here to the rest of the world. Behind it is an announced investment of US$649 million, secured during the state's working tour of South Korea in April 2026.

A milestone for Nuevo León

It is worth being precise about the scope. The EV3 is the first electric vehicle Kia manufactures in Mexico and the first electric car ever produced in Nuevo León's history. Electric vehicles have been assembled in the country since 2020, when Ford began producing the Mustang Mach-E in Cuautitlán, State of Mexico.

That precision does not diminish the milestone. It means Nuevo León is no longer solely an internal-combustion manufacturing state and is moving into electromobility production, with the entire supplier chain that comes with it.

The car was presented alongside a nationwide charging network, a piece that is often missing when a country starts building EVs: without charging infrastructure, the product does not take off.

"Kia and this great state are a new benchmark in the automotive industry, producing the first electric car in Nuevo León's history."

Young Sam Kim, President of Kia Mexico

The event was led by Governor Samuel García and Young Sam Kim, President of Kia Mexico.

"This product is going to be a huge success. Beyond how great the car looks, it is a symbol of the future, of electromobility. Nuevo León is at the forefront in industry, employment and creativity."

Samuel García, Governor of Nuevo León

Ten years in Pesquería, and gold for quality

Ten years after arriving in the state, Kia's operation in Pesquería has accumulated close to US$4 billion in investment, 16,000 direct jobs and more than 80,000 across its supply chain and dealer network.

Volume is not the only relevant figure. In 2026 the plant received the Gold Plant Quality Award from J.D. Power, after posting the best score in the Americas region in the Initial Quality Study.

"Kia Mexico's plant now has the highest initial quality among more than 35 plants across the American continent."

Young Sam Kim, President of Kia Mexico

For a company deciding where to locate, that says something concrete about the local ecosystem: the area's workforce and supplier base sustain world-class quality standards.

220 hectares for suppliers in Pesquería

The announcement with the most direct effect on the supply chain was not the car, but the land. The state is developing a 220-hectare industrial pole directly across from the Kia plant, with sites ranging from 1 to 10 hectares, aimed specifically at suppliers to the automaker and to the electromobility sector.

"We are building an industrial hub in Pesquería with 220 hectares for Kia and electromobility suppliers."

Samuel García, Governor of Nuevo León

The range of site sizes is the key detail: it lets a Tier 2 supplier needing one hectare and a Tier 1 needing ten both set up without leaving the plant's immediate radius.

What this means if you are a supplier

EV production reshuffles the supply chain. The critical components change (batteries, power electronics, wire harnesses, thermal systems) and so does location logic: proximity to the plant matters more when you are handling tight volumes and delivery windows.

Nuevo León already concentrates much of that chain. The state has accumulated more than US$130 billion in announced investment and leads Mexico in investment attraction, with an installed base of Korean and Japanese suppliers built over the past decade.

If you are evaluating a location in the electromobility corridor:

• Browse the map of industrial parks in Pesquería, with availability by municipality, including the Pesquería area.
• Review options for industrial buildings, land and build-to-suit based on the operation you need.
• For the full picture of the destination, start with investing in Monterrey.

Sources: Government of the State of Nuevo León and the August 3, 2026 bulletin.