Greener Living

Seven Seats, 300 Miles: Kia Tries to Solve the Last EV Conundrum

Electric cars have yet to crack the massive market for an affordable family hauler; the EV9 from Kia may be about to change that. 

The Kia EV9 seats seven, travels up to 304 miles on a charge and will start at $54,900.

Courtesy of Kia America
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When Kia Corp.’s EV9 starts shipping sometime in the next few weeks, it will come with many features already unremarkable in the universe of electric cars: fast charging and a big display screen, to name a few. But Kia’s third electric vehicle is also poised to solve some tricky calculus in the US EV market, perhaps best illustrated by a feature more remarkable than it seems: a third row of seating.

“Nobody has really produced a true, family, three-row EV SUV,” says Kia Vice President of Sales Eric Watson. “That’s what’s exciting.”