It will be Hyundai's first three-row electric SUV. It has already been spotted testing in the US on the streets of California with sleek new headlights.
Hyundai feels quite confident in the US market. It set a sales record in the first quarter of 2024 with electric vehicles on the E-GMP platform, including the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6.
According to statistics, Hyundai Motor, including KIA and Genesis, overtook Ford and GM to become the second best-selling electric car brand in the US after Tesla in the first quarter. Last year, the IONIQ 5 became the sixth most purchased electric car in the US, with almost 34,000 units sold.
This year, Hyundai is expanding its lineup of electric vehicles with the addition of the first all-electric three-row crossover. The SUV was unveiled as the SEVEN concept at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, hinting that it would be called the IONIQ 7. However, it was revealed last month that it will be called the IONIQ 9.
The name change from “7” to “9” probably means that the new electric SUV will be the flagship model. Hyundai is expected to start production in the first half of 2024, with sales in the US in mid-2025.
The Hyundai IONIQ 9 is likely to be built at the new EV Metaplant plant in Georgia. Once U.S. production begins, Hyundai expects to be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.