NEW YORK — Korean automaker Kia on Wednesday unveiled the U.S. version of its upcoming EV9, a three-row electric SUV that will serve as the brand’s flagship model when it launches late this year.
The EV9 is a midsize SUV that – like many other EVs – has a surprisingly spacious interior for its size, in this case with seating for six or seven passengers depending on configuration. It’s the second Kia EV to be based on the E-GMP modular EV platform developed with Kia’s corporate sibling Hyundai.
Kia hopes that the EV9 will build on the success of its EV6 electric hatchback, which has won critical acclaim around the world since its launch in 2021, and the battery-electric version of its Niro crossover. The company sold nearly 80,000 EV6s worldwide in 2022, including more than 20,000 in the U.S., despite a starting price of almost $49,000.
Kia is expected to add a third EV, a small crossover called EV5, to its U.S. lineup next year.
The automaker is aiming to sell 1.6 million EVs per year by 2030, CEO Ho Sung Song said during an investor presentation Wednesday. The company expects to sell 258,000 EVs worldwide this year, he said.
Kia will announce U.S. pricing for the EV9 later this year.
The EV9 will come standard with a 76.1 kilowatt-hour battery driving a single motor at the rear wheels. An optional 99.8 kWh battery will offer 300 miles of range in single-motor configuration. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with 379 horsepower will be optional with the larger battery.
The EV9 will be DC Fast charging compatible, with a maximum charging speed of up to 230 kilowatts.
While the first EV9s will be built in South Korea, Kia plans to begin producing the SUV at its factory in West Point, Georgia, next year.