Kia announced that deliveries of the EV9 three-row electric SUV began in Korea on June 19.
The automaker is offering the Kia EV9 base model in two trim levels in its home market – Air and Earth – with each offering a choice of single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrains.
The Air trim comes with features such as highway driving assist, steering wheel grip detection with capacitive sensors, a panoramic wide display, and double-laminated acoustic glass for the first and second rows.
The Earth trim brings a more upscale cabin adding features like first-row reclining comfort seats, dual-color ambient lighting, and a 12-inch interactive head-up display.
Kia will also offer the EV9 GT-Line model in Korea the third quarter, pending completion of the government certification process. In addition, the automaker has confirmed it is developing the high-performance Kia EV9 GT, which is expected to debut at the beginning of 2025.
In Korea, the Kia EV9 offers two seating configurations for the second row: three reclining seats (with relaxation and massage functions), and two swivel seats (second and third rows facing each other).
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A Kia official told Korea Economic Daily that Kia is expecting the EV9 to be a conquest model based on the pre-orders received so far.
“With 60% of EV9 pre-orders coming from private customers, 55% of whom are new to the Kia brand, we are very encouraged to see new demand for our flagship model, which has a high brand repurchase rate,” he said.
“We are confident that EV9 will lead the Kia EV brand while pioneering a new segment with its innovative product offering and premium value as a flagship model,” he added.
The Kia EV9 is the brand’s second EV model after the EV6 designed on parent company Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle platform.
The large three-row electric SUV features a 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery that enables a claimed driving range of 311 miles (501 kilometers) in Korea, making it the longest range model in Kia’s EV lineup. Prices for the EV9 start at approximately $60,800 (78,140,000 won) in Korea.
Kia hasn’t announced when EV9 deliveries will begin in the United States, but an April 2023 report from Ward’s Auto claimed that would happen in November.
