Kia have revealed more information about its all-new Kia EV9, the brand’s first three-row seat electric flagship SUV. Based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), it offers a broad choice of electric powertrain configurations and utilizes Kia’s fourth-generation battery technology. A 76.1-kWh battery is offered exclusively with the Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Standard model, while a 99.8-kWh battery is fitted in both the RWD Long Range and All Wheel Drive (AWD) variants. The EV9 also offers an all-electric range over 336 miles (541 km), and the 800-volt charging capability enables the EV9 battery pack to be replenished with sufficient charge to power the vehicle for 239 km in approximately 15 minutes.
Numerous technological additions include the Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system, available in the Kia EV9 GT-line in the future, enabling conditional Level 3 autonomous driving in selected markets. There’s also the Kia Connect Store, which enables customers to purchase digital features and services on demand, allowing them to continuously upgrade the capability of the EV9 with Over the Air (OTA) updates at any time. The EV9 also comes with an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), enabling the discharging of energy from the vehicle battery. Families can use up to 3.68 kW9 of power for laptops or camping equipment.
Kia’s strategic commitment to become a leader in sustainable mobility, and its declared roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, extend beyond the provision of zero-emission EV drivetrains. They also encompass the materials used in the vehicle’s construction, and the EV9 takes this to the next level, with eco-friendly materials applied to set new standards in sustainable mobility.
The Kia EV9 marks a pioneering milestone as the first model to embrace the brand’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy, initiated to phase out the use of leather, apply ten ‘must-have’ sustainable items to all new Kia models and continuously increase the use of bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane, and natural oils. Kia’s target is to increase the proportion of recycled plastics it uses to 20 per cent by 2030. The EV9’s colour palette draws inspiration from nature’s four core elements, namely light, air, earth, and water, to establish a connection with nature’s beauty and fuse it into the EV9’s design philosophy. The EV9’s interior features a total of six different combinations, from a light modern grey to elegant natural tones and a more sporting version for the GT-line.
“The Kia EV9 transcends all aspects of traditional SUV thinking and represents the pinnacle of Kia’s design and engineering capabilities,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO. “The EV9 spearheads Kia’s rapid transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider, not just by its advanced EV architecture, but also through the numerous recycled and sustainable materials used in its creation.”
Kia will begin offering pre-order of the EV9 for the Korean market in the second quarter of 2023. The Kia EV9 will go on sale in selected global markets from the second half of the year.
