Kia Confirms the All-Electric EV9 SUV is Coming in 2023

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

The Kia EV9 on display at the New York International Auto Show on April 13, 2022.

Not too long ago, Kia stated that it would be turning the Concept EV9 into a real all-electric vehicle. At the same time, the South Korean automaker also announced that the electric SUV would become available in Europe in 2023. Kia didn't say anything about launching the vehicle in other regions. Now that the New York Auto Show is in full swing, Kia finally gave us a date for when the production version of the Concept EV9 will come out.

EV9 Coming In 2023

Get your wallets ready, because the EV9 will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2023. Beyond that tidbit of information, Kia isn't ready to say how much the EV9 will cost, what kind of performance the SUV will have, or what kind of range we can expect to see. But, at least we know when the electric SUV will arrive. With Kia saying the vehicle will be here in the second half of the year, we could see the SUV come out between July and December. And we also know that there won't be a large delay from when the EV9 arrives in Europe and when it will go on sale here.

As of right now, we know that the EV9 will utilize the same E-GMP electric platform as the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6. Because of its size – the EV9 casts nearly the same shadow as the midsize Kia Telluride – the EV9 is expected to have three rows of seating. Like its stablemates, the EV9 will be able to support fast-charging rates of up to 350-kW. The electric SUV is expected to have a range of roughly 300 miles and be available with all-wheel drive.

Other Available Three-Row SUVs

With these specs, the EV9 won't face a lot of competitors when it arrives in 2023. Currently, consumers looking for a three-row SUV will find the Tesla Model X, Tesla Model Y, and Rivian R1S. Deliveries of the R1S are expected to begin in 2024, but Rivian hasn't provided an official date yet. Range for the R1S starts off at roughly 260 miles and can go above 320 miles. The Model Y offers up to 330 miles of range, while the Model X can travel up to 351 miles. With roughly 300 miles of range, the EV9 will fit right into the segment.

While the Concept EV9 has a funky design, we think a lot of elements will remain the same with the production model. Kia has a way of incorporating design elements from its concepts into its production vehicles. We're excited to see what the production version of the EV9 looks like when 2023 rolls around.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods