Kia announces first Europe pricing for EV9, and it’s more than we thought
We’ve now learned initial pricing for Kia’s upcoming EV9 three-row SUV in one European market, thanks to a price list on Kia’s Belgian website.
So far we’ve had to speculate on pricing for the upcoming EV9, as Kia hasn’t announced US pricing yet. With deliveries starting in Korea last week, we know what domestic Korean pricing is for the EV9 – it starts at around $60K. But things can change when cars get exported, so European pricing gives us a little more of a hint as to what the car might cost overseas.
Now, thanks to a Belgian price list, we know that the base model “Earth launch edition” spec of the EV9 starts at €74,990 – definitely a higher price than we initially expected. “Earth” in this instance refers to trim level, as Kia is wont to use environmental terms to describe its trim levels (“wave,” “wind,” etc.). The only separately-priced options we see are for swiveling second-row seats and metallic or matte paint. Otherwise, all customization comes through the two trim levels (the higher “GT Line” trim costs an additional €8,900).
However, there are some caveats. These prices include Belgian taxes, which stand at 21%. The pre-tax base price is €61,975, which translates to ~$67.5K at current exchange rates. This, we think, is the closest idea of what US pricing might look like for the upcoming SUV.
However, this is the 99.8kWh “large battery” version. We haven’t seen pricing for the “standard” 76.1kWh version anywhere yet, but we imagine that would account for a nice chunk of a discount. For comparison, the EV6 comes in 58kWh and 77kWh versions, and that 19kWh difference will cost you $6,100 more. So the 23kWh difference between the EV9’s two models should probably cut a similar amount off of the price.
So the base price of the standard-battery model, once that comes around, could be closer to $60K again. This is still more expensive than the Korean pricing, since Korea gets the large battery for around $60K, so it looks like we’re seeing maybe a 10% or so increase for foreign models.
It also starts the EV9 near the top of pricing for the EV6. The EV6 starts at $42K but goes up to $61K for the highest-end configurations. So Kia is building a price ladder here, with the bigger car occupying the top rung of it (personally I think smaller cars are better, but I guess I’m the weird one).
Comparing to other offerings on the market, this is a big chunk more expensive than Kia’s gas-powered SUV, the Telluride, which starts at $35k, or €34k in Europe. That massive almost-100kWh battery doesn’t come cheap.
While EV price differentials can often be made up by subsidies, the EV9 won’t qualify for the US EV tax credit, due to being assembled in Korea. However, US buyers can get around this restriction by leasing, where Kia currently offers a $7,500 lease deal on its current models by passing along the commercial EV tax credit to the lessee. Kia hasn’t confirmed that this deal will apply to the EV9, but as it applies to its other EV models, we suspect it will – though maybe not immediately at launch.
But looking at pricing of some other three-row electric SUVs, this price would put the EV9 about mid-pack. If we assume an eventual ~$60K base for the standard model, that’s more than the Tesla Model Y and Mercedes EQB which both start at around $53K with their anemic rear seats, approximately in line with or a little less than what we expect from the spacious three-row ID.Buzz, and quite a chunk less than the Rivian R1S and Volvo EX90 which are in the 80K range.
We’re seeing more sightings of the EV9 in the US (we just saw a video of one in Palm Springs, see below), so launch is imminent. We’ll surely get real pricing soon, but until then, what do you think about the likely ~$60K base price in the US for the standard-battery EV9? Or $67K for the large battery? Let us know in the comments.
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Rivian (RIVN) plans to launch a new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) this year to enable hands-free driving. The new feature is expected to be similar to Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (FSD). In 2026, Rivian will up the ante with an “eyes-free” system.
Rivian plans hands-free driving in 2025, eyes-free in 2026
At the new Rivian Space opening in San Francisco on Thursday, CEO RJ Scaringe revealed a few exciting developments to look forward to.
According to the folks at RivianForums, Scaringe said during the event that the company plans to launch a hands-free ADAS feature in 2025. Next year, Rivian will follow it up with an “eyes-free” system.
The big question is, will current Rivian R1S and R1T owners gain access? It could depend on whether you drive a Gen 1 or Gen 2 model. All Rivian models built through 2024 are considered Gen 1, while models 2025 and newer are Gen 2.
Rivian introduced the second-generation R1S and R1T last summer. They were “completely reengineered” with hundreds of hardware improvements, fully redesigned software, and more.
The upgrades include its new in-house autonomy system, Rivian Autonomy Platform. It’s powered by 11 cameras, five radars, and predictive AI.
Rivian said the new platform is “10 times more powerful” than the old system. It also features 360-degree visibility with 8X the number of camera pixels than the previous models. Gen 2 models already include features like Blind Spot Monitoring and Highway Assist.
With the premium version, drivers gain access to Lane Change, while Rivian said Enhanced Highway Assist and other features were coming soon.
Although all Rivian R1S and R1T EVs include OTA updates, some features may require additional hardware or software not included on Gen 1 models.
Rivian hands-free and attention-free autonomous highway driving will be available on the upcoming R2 model. The smaller electric SUV is due out in the first half of 2026, starting at around $45,000.
Electrek’s Take
As a Tesla Model 3 driver, I can tell you that Full-Self Driving (FSD) is fun and can be helpful at times. I’ve used it on longer trips, like through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it makes driving or sitting in the car a little more enjoyable.
Although the system still requires you to pay attention, it enables the vehicle to drive itself almost anywhere with “minimal driver intervention.”
The new Actually Smart Summon feature is one of my favorites. Through the Tesla app, you can summon your vehicle to come to you in a parking lot. The vehicle will then move around other cars, people, and objects to find you.
Other functions, like Navigate on Autopilot, will take over while the vehicle is on the highway, changing lanes (with turn signals) and braking or accelerating as needed.
For Rivian owners, it would be like an upgraded system from Highway and Lane Change Assist. The “eyes-free” system coming next year will likely have a few regulatory hurdles to pass before it rolls out, so it should be interesting to see what that will consist of. Check back for more info soon. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
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The United Arab Emirates is building the world’s largest solar and battery storage project that will dispatch clean energy 24/7.
Emirati Renewable energy company Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) are developing the trailblazing solar and battery storage project. Once it’s online, will become the largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world.
Located in Abu Dhabi, the project will feature a 5.2 GW solar PV plant coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, minister of industry and advanced technology and chairman of Masdar, said:
For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency – to be able to source uninterrupted clean power day and night.
In collaboration with EWEC and our partners, we will develop a renewable energy facility capable of providing clean energy round the clock.
For the first time ever, this will transform renewable energy into a world-leading 1 GW of reliable baseload energy every day on an unprecedented scale – a first step that could become a giant leap for the world.
Masdar announced China’s JA Solar and Jinko Solar, two of the world’s largest solar panel suppliers, and Chinese battery and BESS giant CATL as preferred suppliers. JA Solar and Jinko Solar will supply 2.6 GW of solar panels each. India’s Larsen & Toubro and POWERCHINA have been selected as preferred engineering, procurement, and construction contractors.
Masdar says the project will create 10,000 jobs and doesn’t yet indicate a projected completion date.
Read more: China installed a record capacity of solar and wind in 2024 – in numbers
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U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on cryptocurrencies in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Jan. 23, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to promote the advancement of cryptocurrencies in the U.S. and to work toward potentially developing a national digital asset stockpile.
Venture capitalist David Sacks, who Trump tapped as his crypto and artificial intelligence czar, joined Trump in the Oval Office for the signing of the order.
“The digital asset industry plays a crucial role in innovation and economic development in the United States, as well as our Nation’s international leadership,” the order states.
Trump, who was a crypto critic in his first administration, changed his tune on the campaign trail and attracted hefty contributions from the industry after a tumultuous four years under then-President Joe Biden. Crypto investors, companies and executives accounted for almost half of corporate donations in the 2024 election cycle, with some contributing tens of millions of dollars to help Trump win a second term in office.
Most of the order focuses on establishing technology and rules around crypto and its development in the U.S. One of the critical pieces is the creation of a working group to consider a national digital asset stockpile, “potentially derived from cryptocurrencies lawfully seized by the Federal Government through its law enforcement effort.”
Historically, the U.S. Marshals Service has auctioned off seized bitcoin, along with other cryptocurrencies such as ether and litecoin. Trump promised on the campaign trail that if he returned to the White House, he would ensure the federal government never sells off its bitcoin holdings, though Thursday’s order does not mention bitcoin.
“If I am elected, it will be the policy of my administration, United States of America, to keep 100% of all the bitcoin the U.S. government currently holds or acquires into the future,” he said in July in a keynote at the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
The order goes on to outline other key priorities for the digital asset industry, including protecting individuals and private sector companies that use blockchain networks from “persecution.” The document spells out certain protections for developers and miners, noting that they should be able to freely “develop and deploy software” as well as “participate in mining and validating,” a nod to the technicians securing the bitcoin network.
The president has also pledged to defend the rights of those who choose to self-custody their digital assets. That means they do not rely on a centralized entity such as Coinbase to hold their tokens and instead use personal crypto wallets, which are sometimes outside the reach of the Internal Revenue Service.
The order emphasizes promoting the sovereignty of the U.S. dollar by supporting the growth of legitimate, dollar-backed stablecoins globally.
Since his victory in November, Trump has focused on appointing government leaders who support the cryptocurrency sector.
Paul Atkins has been nominated to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, is known for advocating market-friendly policies and opposing heavy-handed regulation. If confirmed, he will succeed Gary Gensler, whose aggressive enforcement of crypto regulations made him a divisive figure in the industry.
Earlier this week, the SEC announced the formation of a new “crypto task force,” to be led by Commissioner Hester Peirce. Dubbed “Crypto Mom” for her outspoken support of digital currencies, Peirce has long championed a regulatory framework that fosters innovation rather than hindering it.
Scott Bessent, a pro-crypto hedge fund manager, is Trump’s pick to lead the Treasury Department. Bessent attended the Crypto Ball on Friday in Washington, an event that brought together lawmakers, cabinet appointees and industry leaders and underscored the administration’s plan to make the U.S. a global leader in digital asset innovation.
Sacks told the crowd at the packed Mellon Auditorium on Friday night that “the war on crypto is over.”
“This is just the beginning of America reclaiming its position as the world’s innovation leader,” Sacks said.
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