Kia to build electric vehicle facility plant in Mexico's industrial state of Nuevo Leon

[Samuel García Sepúlveda's Facebook post]

SEOUL -- Kia, an affiliate of South Korea's Hyundai auto group, will build a factory with electric vehicle production facilities in Mexico's northeastern industrial state of Nuevo Leon. Without disclosing specific information, Nuevo Leon governor Samuel García Sepúlveda said about billion would be injected for the establishment of the plant designed to produce two different vehicle models. The deal can help the South Korean carmaker to overcome a U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. 
 
The inflation reduction act (IRA), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022, offers up to ,500 in tax credits to electric vehicles (EVs) assembled in North America including Mexico and Canada, and contains more than a certain percentage of core minerals extracted in the region. Kia has earlier unveiled its scheme to sell 1.6 million EVs in the global market by 2030.
 
The Mexican governor said through his Facebook post on May 15 that the South Korean company would make an investment for the expansion of its factory and produce two EV models. The Mexican governor who has visited South Korea to participate in a forum on cooperation methods between South Korea and Latin America posted photos of himself exploring an exhibition hall for EV9, Kia's full-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV). The SUV is equipped with 21-inch diamond-cut wheels and aero spoilers.
 
Nuevo Leon borders the United States along the Rio Grande, a 1,896-mile (3,051 km) long river. The region is known for industrial complexes and production plants, with about 600,000 workers and about 2,600 companies. About 270 South Korean companies have already expanded their business scopes into the industrial region.
 
Many South Korean companies are striving to meet the IRA incentive conditions. In September 2022, LG Energy Solution, the battery-making wing of South Korea's LG Group, partnered with battery material companies in North America including Electra and Avalon to build supply chains that meet the incentive conditions.