The upcoming 2024 Kia EV9 is set to be Kia’s flagship electric vehicle, slated for release near the end of 2023. This midsize, three-row crossover follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the EV6. With its nearly 16.5-foot length, the EV9 matches the size of conventional non-electric SUVs like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade.
While the market is abundant with three-row SUVs powered by traditional gasoline engines, the EV9 stands out as an electric vehicle in a more exclusive category. Its competitors, such as the Rivian R1S, Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, Tesla Model X, and the upcoming VinFast VF9, typically come with higher price tags compared to the expected pricing of the EV9. Although the VinFast and Rivian base trims might compete in terms of pricing with the upper end of the EV9 lineup, VinFast faces the challenge of overcoming poor reviews of its initial North American model, the VF8 two-row crossover.
In the near future, the EV9 is likely to face competition from the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 7, the smaller Mercedes-Benz EQB, and the three-row version of the Tesla Model Y Long Range.
Kia, along with several other mainstream automakers, is making a significant shift towards electric vehicles in the current decade. Their ambitious goal is to have 14 battery-electric models, accounting for 30% of their global sales volume by 2030. The 2024 EV9 will play a pivotal role in achieving this objective. U.S. deliveries of the 2024 EV9 are scheduled to commence in late 2023, with production expected to start in North America at Kia’s advanced facility in West Point, Georgia, in 2024.
