Asking For A Friend: When Canada Will Get More Electrified Kias

Recently, a Canadian reader asked me if I had any idea of how Kia’s electrified vehicle production is moving along and when countries might expect deliveries (and the Canadian market in particular). I reached out to Kia to see if I could get an answer and any advice for those anxiously waiting on an electrified Kia.

Here’s what I asked:

• What might the average wait times be (for electrified Kias)?

• Are there any delays holding up Canadian deliveries?

• Can you offer general information about allocation volumes for Canada and typical time frames for delivery?

I mentioned to the contact at Kia that I reached out to that follow-up with Kia dealers and Kia corporate failed to yield satisfactory results. So I asked if the contact at Kia had any advice for customers too. When I get approval to cite my source and the full response I received, I will update the article with that information. Until then, here’s a summary of the reply:

Demand for EV’s and products like the Sorento PHEV/HEV is growing, not just in Canada, but around the world. This demand along with industry wide chip shortages, has affected production and availability. Global production remains uncertain and it is difficult to accurately forecast production volume and capacity. Kia Canada is working to reduce current wait times. Kia dealerships should have the most accurate wait time information and customers should reach out to their dealers regarding wait times.

This response may or may not be of much satisfaction to customers who are hungry for more detailed information, but I suggest reading it closely and getting creative in response. If Kia is steering customers back to the dealers, and (as was the case for the reader who reached out to me) if the dealer one is working with isn’t having much luck getting questions answered, try reaching out to a different dealer, perhaps one that does a higher volume of sales of Kia’s electrified vehicles in another city or town. Another thought might be to reach out to dealers that are active online in reviewing Kia’s electrified vehicles, like Brantford Kia in Ontario. They may be able to get better information about delivery patterns and may even be able to help you find the car you are looking for faster than your local dealer.

The other thing to take away from this response is that the automotive industry is still being impacted by global semiconductor shortages, and likely will be for some time. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do about that is to adapt and adjust expectations. It might mean driving an older car longer, spending some money to keep it running, or making do without for a while. And if waiting simply isn’t an option, then we may have to either search further afield or, unfortunately, prepare to pay more or to purchase or lease a different vehicle that may not be our first choice. Any way you slice it, it’s a frustrating, bothersome situation and not only do I feel for anyone in this situation, I have been through it myself. This time last year, I figured it was going to be very difficult to get my hands on a Kia Sorento PHEV if I waited or took my time to shop around. I know I could have paid a little less than I did (my dealer stuck me with an $8,000 market adjustment), but I wasn’t willing to keep putting money into my former car (I had just spent over $1,300 fixing it not 6 months after the bumper-to-bumper expired which would have covered the expense) and I really wanted the larger vehicle for its utility. In essence, I had already been “waiting” on a vehicle like the Sorento PHEV for 4 years.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Would you prefer to wait, to change your purchasing plans (i.e. buy a different vehicle), or do something else if you were in the market for a new electrified vehicle, Kia or otherwise, and it was taking too long to show up? Please leave any feedback below.

Image courtesy of Justin Hart

Justin Hart has owned and driven electric vehicles for over 14 years, including a first generation Nissan LEAF, second generation Chevy Volt, Tesla Model 3, an electric bicycle and most recently a Kia Sorento PHEV. He is also an avid SUP rider, poet, photographer and wine lover. He enjoys taking long EV and PHEV road trips to beautiful and serene places with the people he loves. Follow Justin on Twitter for daily KIA EV news coverage.