Hyundai IONIQ 9 electric SUV to unveil at LA Auto Show

Hyundai is preparing to unveil its large electric vehicle – IONIQ 9 at the LA Auto Show in Los Angeles reports Korean media.

The automaker planned to premiere this new EV in Los Angeles and will showcase it at the LA Auto. This show will take place at the LA Convention Center from November 22 to December 1, 2024.

This new vehicle is Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV and the largest among its offerings with the E-GMP platform. The IONIQ 9 will be longer, wider, and taller than Kia’s EV9.

There is confusion with its name due to concept revelation. The company has named this car IONIQ SEVEN and it already launched 5 and 6 in the EV segment. Therefore, it is tentatively called IONIQ 7. However, it’s highly believed that the model will debut as IONIQ 9 to reflect its size.

Hyundai IONIQ 9 (Source – Hyundai)

Interstingly, Hyundai chose to debut this model in the US instead of South Korea. Looking at the previous launches, the IONIQ 5 was unveiled during COVID and IONIQ 6 at an online conference prior to Busan Motor Show. IONIQ 5N was revealed at the UK’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2023 featuring a high-speed performance.

However, the IONIQ 9 unveiling in the US is not just a program but is related to its sales. In the past two years, Hyundai Motors has significantly increased its EV sales in the US. Kia EV9 for instance has higher sales in the US than the home market. This model has been on sale in the country since late 2023 and sold 11,486 units between January and July 2024.

This new release is part of Hyundai’s EV expansion in the global market despite a cold environment. Amid large size, Hyundai plans to improve its distinctiveness with a low drag coefficient, a driving range of more than 500 kilometers, and better battery capacity.

The exterior matches the company’s new design philosophy and provides better autonomous driving technology. This EV is expected to price around 100 million won in Korea (around $74,200 in the US). There will be other options with higher specifications.

The company could produce this model in the fourth quarter of 2024 at Hyundai’s Asan plant in Korea and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America’s Georgia Plant in the US. The initial production target is around 200,000 units.

(source)