The Kia EV9 Electric SUV Will Have a Bunch of OTA Upgrades You Can Buy Through an App

After-purchase digital upgrades seem to be coming hand-in-hand with the electric vehicle transition. As automakers look to boost profits from expensive-to-build electric vehicles, you’re likely going to have to start paying for features and updates in those new EVs. Kia is the latest automaker to introduce paid over-the-air feature updates with its all-electric three-row SUV, the EV9.

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Seemingly lost in the excitement of the reveal of Kia’s next EV was the automaker’s announcement of an expansion of the the Kia Connect Store. Now, Kia Connect already exists as an owner portal, with resources like online owners manuals and access to smartphone apps for remote climate control or car-location services. In a sense, it’s a precursor to what Kia will offer with its newest EVs.

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Kia describes the Kia Connect Store as a place where owners can go to to purchase digital features and services, or allow them to “continuously upgrade the capability of the EV9 with Over the Air (OTA) updates at any time.”