Kia urges dealers to resist markups on the new three-row EV9 electric SUV
Kia is asking its dealers to avoid markups on the new EV9 electric SUV. The automaker says its first three-row electric SUV is garnering “significant consumer interest” as it’s expected to hit dealerships by the end of the year.
After opening orders for the EV9 last month, Kia America’s VP of sales, Eric Watson, said it has “already gathered significant consumer interest with pre-orders.”
Kia called the EV9’s $54,900 starting price “a wake-up call to the industry” as the automaker looks to capitalize on its biggest market.
Now, Kia is asking dealers to pass the savings on to customers. In a letter sent to dealers this week, Kia explained the importance of the EV9 to the brand.
According to online auto research firm CarsDirect, the letter read, “The EV9 customer is an important new owner to the Kia brand, and price transparency will be paramount as part of their purchase experience.”
Kia added, “We ask dealers to retail the EV9 without mark-up over the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price.”
Kia asks dealers to avoid EV9 markups
Can Kia dictate prices? After all, the dealer determines pricing based on supply and demand.
We’ve seen other highly anticipated electric models, like Chevy’s Blazer EV, marked up by as much as $10,000 at several dealerships.
Meanwhile, when Kia’s first dedicated electric car, the EV6, was introduced, reports suggested markups as high as $20,000.
Fast-forward almost two years, and the market has shifted. Several new electric models have hit the market, creating new competition. Meanwhile, Tesla’s price cuts this year are forcing many automakers to follow suit.
Kia is introducing a new longer-range “Light” EV6 trim in 2024 that offers more range at a cheaper price point to keep up. The 2024 EV6 Light Long Range will have an MSRP of $45,950 with up to 310 miles range. Buyers can save $2,750 compared to the 2024 Wind model, starting at $48,700.
The brand’s EV6 did just set a new October sales record with 1,542 models sold, up 30% from last year. However, the three-row EV9 is expected to play a bigger role in the company’s EV transition.
Electrek’s Take
As the report notes, Kia’s attempt to prevent EV9 markups is a good effort, but there’s little the automaker can do.
Other legacy automakers like Ford and GM have dealt with their own struggles getting dealers on board with the transition to EVs.
Meanwhile, EV makers like Tesla and Rivian have the advantage of a direct-to-consumer sales model. Several automakers, including Volvo, are shifting to online sales models to streamline deliveries.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
Now is a great time to begin your solar journey so your system is installed in time for those longer sunny days. If you want to make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate partner
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway
Comments