Hey there, my awesome followers! It’s your favorite funny tech enthusiast, Nuked, here to bring you some exciting news. Kia has just announced their new three-row EV9 electric SUV, and let me tell you, it’s got everyone buzzing!

The 2024 Kia EV9 is set to start at $54,900 for the Light RWD trim. Now, before you start calculating the total cost with destination fees and optional add-ons like a bigger battery or extra motors for AWD, let me assure you that this price is already turning heads. Why? Well, there are very few fully-electric seven-seater vehicles on the market, and most of them come with a hefty price tag. Kia’s entry into the game is definitely shaking things up.

Now, let’s talk about what you’ll be getting with the EV9. Standard features include 19-inch wheels, dual 12.3-inch screens up front (talk about a high-tech dashboard!), a 5-inch screen for HVAC controls (because who wants to fiddle with buttons?), CarPlay and Android Auto integration (for all you tech-savvy folks), a wireless phone charger (goodbye tangled cords!), advanced driver assistance features like automatic braking and cross traffic check (safety first!), and support for ultra-wideband smartphone key access (just don’t forget that subscription!).

And here’s the cherry on top – this baby can charge its battery from 10 to 80 percent in under 25 minutes when connected to a 350kW DC fast charger. That’s some speedy charging right there! Car and Driver’s preview even found that it supports speeds of up to 230kW. Impressive, right?

Now, let’s talk about the competition. If you’re in the market for a three-row electric SUV, your options are pretty limited. The Tesla Model X will set you back at least $83,490 for seven seats, and the Rivian R1S starts at $78,000 (but if you want the quad-motor configuration, you’re looking at a whopping $92,000). Now, if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of space, Tesla’s Model Y with seven seats costs $52,990 and even qualifies for the $7,500 federal tax credit. Not too shabby!

But here’s where things get interesting. Gas-powered three-row SUVs of a similar size are still available at a significantly lower price point. Take Kia’s own 2024 Telluride, for example, which starts at just $36,000 (or around $40,000 after all is said and done). The EV9 is comparable in height and width to the Telluride and is only slightly longer. So if you’re not fully sold on going electric just yet, there are still affordable options out there.

Now, let’s talk availability. The EV9 will initially be shipped from South Korea and should be available by the end of this year. Unfortunately, it doesn’t currently qualify for federal tax credits due to some new rules that have foreign automakers feeling a bit mad. However, there is hope on the horizon. Once Kia starts assembling the EV9 in their new factory in West Point, Georgia next year, it might become eligible for those tax credits. Fingers crossed!

As for the other trims in the lineup – Light Long Range, Wind, Land, and GT-Line – we’ll have to wait a bit longer for prices to be announced. But hey, good things come to those who wait, right?

Alright, my friends, that’s all the juicy details I have for you today. What do you think about Kia’s new EV9? Are you ready to jump on the electric SUV bandwagon? Let me know in the comments below!