South Korean automaker Kia will expand its lone production plant in the US to support the domestic manufacturing of its maiden electric three-row SUV, the EV9.
The new EV9 also marks the company’s first-ever electric model built in North America, which will occur at its West Point, Georgia factory, in 2024.
Kia to produce the new EV9 SUV at West Point, Georgia
Kia said Wednesday that it will invest more than $200 million in the said expansion, generating almost 200 job opportunities in the region.
It is worth noting that the South Korean automaker has already produced 4 models at the Georgia factory. However, these are internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, making the EV9 the first battery-electric vehicle to join the brand’s portfolio.
Kia North America President and CEO Sean Yoon commented on the significant development, saying that the “EV9 has the potential to be another ‘game changer’ for Kia.”
“This will be the most sophisticated vehicle that we have ever built and will be a standout in the EV market and on the road. Best of all, it will be assembled in West Point, Georgia.”
Sean Yoon, Kia North America President, and CEO
In hindsight, Kia officially introduced the new EV9 electric SUV in March, gaining positive feedback for its aggressive, appealing design and innovative features.
About the US-assembled Kia EV6
The Kia EV9 is recognized as the largest electric vehicle from the South Korean brand so far and its first-ever three-row electric SUV.
Kia claims that the new EV9 redefines the brand with a “bold vision for the new era of electrification.”
True enough, the EV9 has several latest in-car technology, such as the following:
- Highway Driving Pilot
- OTA updates
- Onboard power generator functionality (V2L)
- Ultra-wideband-based Digital Key
Most impressively, Kia maintains the EV9’s “true SUV capabilities,” which include:
- 7.8-inch ground clearance
- cargo space of up to 81.9 cubic feet (behind the first row)
- towing capacity of up to 5,000 lbs
- available torque-vectoring dual-motor AWD
Additionally, it shares the same 800-volt E-GMP platform with the award-winning IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, and Kia EV6. It also has fast-charging features of 10% to 80% in just below 25 minutes.
It is worth noting that the EV9 will offer two powertrain configurations. The standard will feature a 76.1 kWh battery (fourth-gen) with a 215 hp (160 kW) motor.
Moreover, the single-motor variant will offer a 99.8 kWh battery pack with a driving range of up to 300 miles range. Meanwhile, the dual-motor AWD will allow 379 hp and torque vectoring with 516 lb-ft of torque.
See Also:
- Kia officially delivers its new flagship EV9 electric SUV
- South Korean firm to establish an $18 million EV heaters plan
- Kia to invest $1 bn to expand its production plant in Mexico
- Hyundai invests $926 million second EV plant in Georgia
- Hyundai will break ground on a $5.5 billion Georgia plant this month
Kia aims to start the production of the EV9 at its Georgia factory in Q2 2024. Notably, the automaker already started the customer delivery of the new electric SUV in the South Korean market last month, gaining about 13,000 preorders in just the initial eight days of launch.
Unfortunately, Kia has still not announced the model’s pricing for US customers.
