Kia has stopped taking EV9 orders in Canada after receiving a “notably high” number of reservations. However, the Korean automaker reportedly only allocated 500 EV9s to Canada for the entire 2024 model year. For reference, Kia sold 68,258 cars in the country last year.
It’s surprising to see Kia allocate such a low amount of EV9 units to Canada given the popularity of full-sized SUVs in North America and the lack of all-electric options in the space. Perhaps it was a move to build hype, or maybe their genuinely is supply issues on Kia’s side.
The EV9 is Kia’s new flagship EV. A full-sized SUV, the EV9 has seating for seven and a targeted EPA range of around 300 miles. The EV9 can also tow up to 5,000 pounds and features Highway Driving Pilot, Kia’s answer to Tesla Autopilot. Highway Driving Pilot is capable of Level 3 autonomy according to Kia and has 15 sensors in total, 2 of which are lidar laser sensors.
The EV9 is larger than the combustion-engined Telluride and rides on Hyundai Motor Group’s 800V E-GMP platform. This enables it to have class-leading charging capabilities, with a 10 to 80 percent fast charging taking less than 25 minutes.
The entry-level version of the EV9 is rear-wheel drive and only has 204 horsepower. However, a dual-motor variant will also be available with 380 hp and a 6-second 0-60 miles per hour time. EV9 production will initially take place in South Korea, however from 2024 onwards manufacturing will also begin at Kia’s West Point Assembly Plant in Georgia. Hence the EV9 should technically be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit from next year onwards.
In the US, the EV9 is expected to start at roughly $55,000 and will arrive in dealerships toward the end of this year.