Kia begins deliveries of EV9 electric SUV in South Korea

South Korean automaker Kia has reportedly begun deliveries of its all-new electric SUV, the EV9, to customers in South Korea, ahead of a planned debut in Australia in September or October.

Kia began unveiling the EV9 large electric SUV in March after it was first teased as a concept vehicle at the LA Auto Show in late 2021. Kia officially launched the EV9 on Sunday and delivered the first model to its first customer on Wednesday.

Boasting swivel seats theoretically designed to turn the back into an on-the-go meeting room and a large boxy exterior with modern lines, the EV9 is expected to be able to travel up to 501 kilometres on a single charge.

Based on Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated EV platform E-GMP, the EV9 is the bigger sibling of Kia’s first electric vehicle, the EV6.

Powered by a 99.8kWh battery, the three-row seating offers two options – either the aforementioned swivel seats or reclining seats with relaxation and massage functions.

The base model of the EV9 is offered in two trim levels – “Air” and “Earth” – with a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The EV9 Air includes features including driver assist, steering wheel grip detection with capacitive sensors, a panoramic wide display, and double-laminated acoustic glass for the first and second rows.

Meanwhile, the Earth trim delivers a more upscale interior including first-row reclining comfort seats, dual-colour ambient lighting, and a 12-inch interactive heads-up display.

A third, high-performance trim, the GT-Line, is expected to be made available in the third quarter.

“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,” a Kia official told The Kore Economic Daily.

“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.”

Price for the EV9 in South Korea starts at 78.14 million won, equivalent to around $A90,000, though Australian pricing is expected closer to a local debut.