KIA EV9: Ultra popular in the USA, its price is not likely to drop anytime soon

Launched in the United States in January 2024, the massive KIA EV9 electric vehicle is a hit thanks to its size and reliability.

The numbers are stubborn, but some comments are as well. Thus, there is the truth of the numbers: since the beginning of the year, sales of KIA electric vehicles in the United States have exploded by 99%! By what miracle? This one is called EV9.

Here again, we must distinguish two things: its own sales, which stand at 12,000 units in the first 7 months of 2024, but especially the spotlight it has brought on the brand. KIA does not hide it: not everyone can afford the very, very, very large EV9, which starts at $54,900 before taxes (50,800 euros, or 61,000 euros if we applied the French VAT of 20%, when it starts at 73,000 euros here…), but it brings customers to dealerships. This then contributes to selling other electrified models.

The KIA EV9 is therefore the super salesperson that the South Korean manufacturer has been missing until now. It must be said that the unprecedented positioning of this model in the brand’s history is well thought out: in an XXL format, it primarily targets the American market. That’s why its price is very high in Europe: we shouldn’t wage multiple trade wars on both sides of the Atlantic, as it is necessary to feed the American market. But this could nonetheless change.

Why? Because to now be eligible for the $7,500 federal rebate, and thus bypass the exorbitant customs duties in the United States, KIA has decided to launch a production line there. The first EV9 are starting to roll out of the American factory, which will further accelerate its popularity. But once the wave has passed, KIA risks being in overproduction, as the European versions are coming from South Korea.

KIA, the new Toyota?

We arrive at the second point, that of comments. American forums on electric cars are great sources of information on customer experiences. And one refrain keeps coming up: KIA cars are without any issues!

In one, the participant says he sees more KIA EV9 in the United States than Tesla Cybertruck and that he has not read any bad comments about it. He adds that with all the EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and other Kona electric vehicles on the road, which start at $30,000, the prices are more aligned with the needs and resources of customers.

It is true that Hyundai and Kia, which are part of the same group and share common platforms, face no negative publicity for recurring reliability issues. While Tesla makes headlines almost every day. In the long run, this search for everyday serenity could weigh on Tesla’s results, and we might already be witnessing this with the steep drop in sales.

“The price is forgotten, the quality remains,” says an old saying.

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