Affordable Seven-Seater Electric Car? No.
Kia’s initial all-electric seven-passenger vehicle is expected to hit U.S. shores before the conclusion of 2020. Prospective customers are able to make their reservations at this moment, with the beginning cost set at $56,395 including transporting costs of $1,495. It appears Kia intends to protect purchasers from unwarranted upcharges and has asked its sellers to keep the price points steady with MSRP.
CarsDirect recently acquired a letter from Kia to its US dealers, in which they requested for them to be considerate towards EV9 customers. “The EV9 customer is a significant new addition to the Kia family, and price transparency is fundamental to their buying experience. We ask that dealers sell the EV9 without increasing the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price,” the letter stated.
One cannot definitely say if this plan will be effective or not. However, CarsDirect remembered that the EV6 was given a considerable markup by some car dealers when it was first released in America over twelve months ago. It was mentioned at that time that upticks of $20,000 more than the MSRP were documented, although these hikes seemed inevitable due to the small space between the MSRP and invoice prices. We don’t know if Kia maintains similar margin limits for the fresh EV9, but if so, preserving the electric SUV at MSRP could possibly prove to be virtually impossible for sellers.
The initial U.S. shipments of the EV9 are planned for the fourth quarter of this year. This electric three-row SUV comes in five trims – Light Long Range RWD, Wind AWD, Ground AWD, and GT-Line AWD, which is the most expensive at a starting price of $75,395 (including $1,495 delivery charge). It has two engines that produce up to 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque combined. The first models to be delivered in America will come from South Korea, yet Kia has plans to commence local production of the EV SUV in West Point, GA by 2024.
Source: CarsDirect
