Kia's 2026 Electric Lineup Looks Way Different in US and Canada

Kia will sell five different EV models in Canada and the US in 2026, but only one will be available in both countries.

For many years, the automotive landscape in America and Canada have been largely the same. Sure, there are the odd regional differences and occasionally a market-specific model snuck in—looking at you, Nissan Micra—but mostly, if you liked a car in one of the countries and were planning on moving, you'd find it in the other.

The last year of trade wars, tariffs, and counter-tariffs are quickly changing that landscape, and nowhere does it look more different than at Kia, specifically with the brand's all-electric lineup. While the Korean brand had planned on expanding its American EV lineup as recently as last April, more recently the automaker has hit the pause button on the affordable EV4 sedan. Here's a breakdown of every electric model earmarked for our shores:

First up is the runt of the litter, the EV3, which recently won the 2025 World Car of the Year. The smallest Kia EV currently destined for North American markets, in terms of size the EV3 slots in somewhere between the now-discontinued Soul and upcoming 2027 Seltos. The EV3 measures 169.3 inches (4,300 millimeters) in length but is almost an inch wider than the Seltos at 72.8 in (1,850 mm), and its roof is lower by broadly the same amount.

Built on Kia's 400-volt E-GMP platform, which is itself an adapted version of the global K3 platform, the EV3 currently comes in multiple flavors in Europe. A base front-drive model packs a 58.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack, while higher trims upgrade to an 81.4-kWh setup. All-wheel drive is also available, pushing the little EV3 past 300 horsepower. On the optimistic WLTP cycle, the EV3 manages up to 373 miles (600 kilometers) of range; figure around 320 mi (515 km) over here.

Currently there is no word on the EV3's status in America, but Canada will see it arrive at some point in 2026.

We've already driven the EV4, and found it quite good. Roughly K4-sized, the EV4 will arrive in Canada narrowly undercutting the upcoming 2027 Chevrolet Bolt as the most affordable electric offering on the market. It uses the same battery packs as the smaller EV3 and will eventually be available with AWD as well; it launches with strictly front-drive models. That single-motor setup does give the EV4 serious legs, mind you: it is officially rated at up to 343 miles (552 kilometers) of range.

American status? On hold for the moment, and until production shifts Stateside, we expect that to continue to be the case. The EV4 is built at Kia's Autoland Gwangmyeong EVO plant in South Korea.

The EV5's Canada-only status has been a known quantity since it debuted almost a year ago. Essentially the SUV sibling to the EV4 sedan, the EV5 is roughly a foot longer than the EV3 at 181.7 in (4,615 mm). That also makes it fractionally shorter than the EV6 but crucially the 5 has a more upright, traditional SUV shape, stretching nearly half a foot taller than Kia's original dedicated electric model.

When it launches in Canada next year, the EV5 will have the same larger battery pack as EV3 and EV4, but a slightly different entry-level battery capacity at 60.3 kWh. It too will have front- and all-wheel drive options. Canadian pricing will start at $43,495 CAD before destination.

Here's where the shakeup really gets interesting: at the Kia EV4 launch, a Kia Canada spokesperson confirmed to AutoGuide that the EV6 is officially discontinued in Canada for 2026. Reading between the lines, it's easy to understand: North American production of the model shifted to West Point, Georgia, at the same plant that builds NA-bound EV9s. Canadian models would be hit with tariffs, and if the EV4 and EV5 essentially cover the EV6's market—at a more palatable price point—there's little reason for the psuedo-wagon to exist in the land of Tim Hortons.

The EV6 will continue on in America, though not in all forms. The high-performance EV6 GT, which recently gained more power and the simulated shifts features we enjoy so much in the Ioniq 5 N, is built in South Korea. So you know what that means—and the EV6 GT isn't the only fun-loving electric model Americans lose access to...

Remember the EV9 GT, the 501-horsepower family hauler that debuted at the 2024 LA show? Yeah, it's not available in the country where it debuted. As is the case with the EV6 GT, Kia builds its high-performance three-row in South Korea, and that means additional tariffs should it want to sell it in America. Bummer.

There is no such barrier in Canada, and thus the '26 EV9 GT is on sale there, alongside the rest of the 2026 EV9 lineup and its now-standard North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. We recently spent time in the big bruiser and will have a full review soon, for those who fall under the admittedly very niche segment of big, powerful, all-electric mainstream SUVs.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.