Just ahead of playoffs, Kia is rolling out a new feature for EV9 owners, enabling them to represent their favorite NBA teams with custom interior display themes.

Kia EV9 owners gain custom NBA interior display themes

Whether your team is the Golden State Warriors or the LA Lakers, you can personalize your vehicle’s display with custom colors and logos. It can also welcome you and send you off with unique sounds.

The EV9’s 12.3″ instrument cluster displays the colors and logos for each of the 30 NBA teams. Are you a Golden State Warriors fan? Your display will show the team’s iconic blue and gold.

Perhaps you’re more of a Lebron fan with the LA Lakers. You can choose for your EV9’s display to show the team’s purple, gold, and black worn on game night. NY Knicks fans can show off the team’s famous blue, orange, and white (shown below).

“This is just the tip-off,” Steven Center, Kia America COO and EVP, explained. Custom NBA themes are the latest as the automaker works to introduce new features and personalized options to make owning an EV even more exciting.

Kia began rolling out over-the-air updates for the EV9 custom NBA display themes earlier this month and ahead of playoffs starting April 20.

The EV9 is the first Kia to gain remote upgrades with its new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system. The NBA themes will be available for $39.99 per team through Kia’s Connected Store’s Digital Features and Services. You can unlock it through the Kia Access App or Kia Owner Portal.

Kia’s first three-row electric SUV is already off to a hot start in the US, with over 4,000 units sold through March.

After the EV9 launched late last year, Kia called its under $55,000 starting price (excluding destination) a “wake-up call” for the industry.

Although the EV9 is being shipped from Korea, Kia plans to move production to the US next month. By building the electric SUV at its West Point, GA plant, Kia expects the EV9 will qualify for the federal EV tax credit.

At 197.2″ long, the EV9 is just longer than the Kia Telluride but is the same height (70.1″) and width (77.9″)

It also includes 42.8″ of rear legroom, which is more than the Cadillac Escalade and 3-row Range Rover P400. It’s no wonder the EV9 is in demand in the US.

Have you been eyeing Kia’s new three-row electric SUV? We can help you find the right model at the best price. You can use our link to find deals on the 2024 Kia EV9 in your area.

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new electric bike launches such as the Juiced JetCurrent Pro and Lectric XPress, Vinfast bringing its electric bike to the US market, the new Yadea Artist full-suspension lightweight electric scooter, waterproof e-bike batteries, and more.

The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 10:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 11:00 a.m. ET):

Tesla has recalled Cybertruck due to a defective accelerator pedal and in the process, the automaker confirmed having delivered at least 3,800 deliveries.

There appeared to be a stop sale on the Cybertruck over the last few days as Tesla looked into a potential issue reported by owners regarding a slippery accelerator pedal.

Today, Tesla confirmed that it is recalling the Cybertruck over the issue.

Tesla describes the issue in the NHTSA defect notice”

On affected vehicles, when high force is applied to the pad on the accelerator pedal, the pad may dislodge, which may cause the pedal to become trapped in the interior trim above the pedal.

The automaker blames the issue on the application of soap in the pedal assembly, which Tesla claims were an “unapproved change”:

An unapproved change introduced lubricant (soap) to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal. Residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal.

Here’s the chronology of the events leading to the recall, according to the defect notice:

• On March 31, 2024, Tesla received notice of a customer claim of the condition present on an affected vehicle.
• On April 2, 2024, Tesla Engineering reviewed the vehicle’s data logs, which confirmed that both brake and accelerator pedals were pressed and the vehicle behaved as intended, meaning the brake pedal cut drive torque and brought the vehicle to a stop.
• On April 3, 2024, Tesla received notice of a second customer claim of the condition present on an affected vehicle. In parallel, as part of its ongoing assessment of the condition, Tesla Engineering performed tests to characterize and recreate the condition.
• On April 8, 2024, Tesla Engineering received and reviewed images associated with the first customer claim, which confirmed the presence of the condition.
• Through the week of April 8, 2024, Tesla Engineering continued additional tests relating to the scope and behavior of the condition.
• On April 12, 2024, having completed its assessment of the condition, Tesla made a determination to voluntarily recall the affected vehicles.
• As of April 15, 2024, Tesla is not aware of any collisions, injuries or deaths relating to this condition.

Tesla says that the recall affects 3,878 Cybertrucks, which is the first time data point released by Tesla about delivery numbers for the electric pickup truck.