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The Kia EV9 is being built in Georgia — making it a whole lot cheaper

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Kia has officially kicked off production of the EV9 electric SUV in Georgia. That’s big news for a number of reasons. First, it makes the EV9 the first EV to be assembled in Georgia. Second, it means more solid jobs in the U.S. And third, it means that the well-priced electric SUV is about to get even cheaper.

The reason for the price decrease is simple — by moving production of the EV9 to Georgia from Korea, the SUV will now qualify for the federal EV tax credit, bringing the total price of the vehicle down by a hefty $7,500. It was already one of the more affordable electric SUVs, but the big rebate makes it even more enticing.

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So how much will it cost in total now? If pricing for the 2025 model of the EV9 matches that of the 2024 model, it’ll start at $48,895 for the base EV9 Light RWD, after the tax credit. That’s down from $56,395, which includes a $1,495 destination fee. Most customers will probably want to upgrade to the Light Long Range RWD model, which will now cost $53,195 and brings the range to 304 miles from 230 miles, or to the Wind e-AWD model, which will now cost $57,895 and has a range of 280 miles.

Kia EV9 GT-Line Rear Three Quarters
Christian de Looper / Digital Trends

This pricing is based off of the 2024 model, and it’s entirely possible pricing could end up being a little different when the 2025 model does go on sale. Hopefully, it’ll be even cheaper considering Kia won’t have to import the car any more — but it’s more likely the list price will end up being similar to the 2024 model, before the EV tax credit.

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I reviewed the 2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line earlier in the year and absolutely loved it. The vehicle embodies everything that I’ve appreciated about other modern Kia electric cars, including a modern and bright interior, solid tech features, and zippy performance. It also offers three rows of seating — and is one of the cheapest electric cars to do so. It could well be the family-size SUV to beat for those looking to go electric.

There are upcoming vehicles that will give the EV9 a run for its money, however. Hyundai is readying its take on the large electric SUV, and is also expected to unveil the Hyundai Ioniq 9 at some point in 2024. The Ioniq 9 will likely end up at a similar price as the EV9.

Regardless, the fact that the EV9 is getting even cheaper is excellent news for U.S. buyers. The 2025 EV9 is expected to go on sale later this year, and apart from lower pricing, it’s expected to offer the North American Charging System (NACS) charging port. Kia is also readying a superfast Kia EV9 GT trim, which will be added to the EV9 lineup for the first time in 2025. Other upgrades have yet to be revealed.

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Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper
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Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
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