It was November 2021 when Kia signaled its intention to launch a large electric SUV with the unveiling of the EV9 Concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Riding on the same E-GMP platform as the EV6, this zero-emission family hauler will be launched in production form in the first half of this year. The announcement was made this week by Hyundai Motor Group at a meeting held at the Namyang R&D Center in South Korea.
When launched, the Kia EV9 will be the brand’s first model to feature the Highway Driving Pilot. Announced for the full-size Genesis G90 luxury sedan, HDP is a level 3 autonomous driving system. The driver must control the car only in emergency situations when human input is required to avoid potential accidents.
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An electric alternative to the Kia Telluride, the upcoming EV9 is expected to be priced starting around $50,000. This means the boxy vehicle will significantly undercut all other three-row electric SUVs out there, including the smaller Tesla Model Y. For your money, you’ll get a large vehicle that can travel about 300 miles (483 kilometers) in an EPA cycle before having to recharge the battery pack.
When the concept was unveiled, Kia touted support for 350 kW charging, which takes 20 to 30 minutes to charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent. The official spyshots and teasers illustrating the prototype strongly suggest the design will not be significantly modified in the production run.
To get an idea of its size, we would like to remind you that the concept is 4,930 millimeters (194 inches) long, 2,055 mm (80.9 inches) wide, 1,790 mm (70.4 inches) high and has a wide wheelbase of 3,100 mm. mm (122 inches). in). While the Concept EV9 is shorter overall than the Telluride, it has a significantly longer wheelbase thanks to the dedicated E-GMP platform. Consequently, the cabin should feel more spacious.
The EV9 will only be one of seven pure electric models confirmed to arrive in 2027. Two of the new models will be pickup trucks, one driving a dedicated electric platform while the other will use an adaptation of the architecture used for ICE. powered vehicle.
