Kia is killing off its flagship sedan as it shifts to more efficient, lower-cost EVs

Kia is discontinuing its K9 flagship sedan (sold in the US as the K900) by the end of the year, ending a 14-year run with no replacement planned. Sales had fallen sharply, from over 6,500 units in 2022 to under 1,600 last year, as buyers moved toward rivals like the Genesis G80 and G90 and the new Hyundai Grandeur. Kia had already stopped selling the K900 in the US back in 2021.

The bigger story is what Kia is doing instead: putting its money into smaller, more affordable electric vehicles. The company plans to have 14 EVs on sale by 2030, including the EV2, EV3, EV4, and EV5, and is also expanding an electric van lineup (the PV5 is out now, with the PV7 coming next year and the PV9 in 2029). Kia is also working on "software-defined vehicles," starting with a compact electric hatchback expected in Korea and Europe in 2027 that will offer highway self-driving features, with city driving capability planned by 2029.

For homeowners, none of this changes anything directly, but it's a sign of where mainstream automakers are putting their resources: cheaper, higher-volume EVs rather than large gas-powered luxury cars. Kia has hinted at a future electric flagship sedan, possibly called the EV8, but nothing is confirmed yet. If you're weighing an EV purchase alongside home upgrades like a charger or solar, Kia's shrinking lineup of affordable electric models is worth watching.