Kia opened its premium innings in India earlier this month with the launch of the Carnival premium and the EV9 EV. The former is making a comeback but with the latter, it is Kia’s first foray into the premium section of the market and it’s making no qualms about its luxury plans for the three-row vehicle.
Well for starters, it has launched it only as one fully-loaded top-spec GT-Line AWD model and that means every bell and whistle that Kia can offer with the EV9 in India. What’s more, it will only be retailed at 20 select dealerships across the top 10 metro cities in the country as it expects the majority of demand from these locations. Lastly, it has no officially stated volume projections for the EV and instead will import the car based on the order books with deliveries starting in March 2025.
Of course, the EV9 has a bigger role in Kia’s future. It will set the ball rolling for two locally produced EVs with the first set to arrive in the second half of CY2025 and the second one in CY2026. We know the former will be a Carens EV offering the same deal as the ICE Carens but with an electric heart. The second is likely to be a Sonet EV or an EV based on their second compact SUV launched in India next year.