Fully electric family carriage with swivel seats and a long range

Two years after the first concept pictures of the Kia EV9, the electric SUV has now been officially presented. It is the second Kia model after the EV6 (test) to be based on the E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) platform. Inside the five-meter-long electric SUV are three rows of seats for up to seven people. In terms of technology, Kia promises top equipment, long range and fast charging for the EV9.

According to Kia, the EV9 will be a little longer than the concept at just over five meters (5,010 (length) x 1,980 (width) x 1,755 (height) millimeters; GT-line: 1,780 millimeters high)). On the outside, there are similarities such as the right-angled contour, but the doors that open in opposite directions did not make it into the series.

The E-GMP platform allows for a long wheelbase of 3,100 millimeters, which allows for a spacious interior that also has a flat floor. The front of the EV9 stands out with sharply contoured lines. The characteristic “digital tiger face” that Kia has reinterpreted for the EV9 is “enhanced by the lighting effects of the “Digital Pattern
Lighting Grille, which will only be available in select markets, the company said.

Furthermore, the vertical headlights should “give a visionary, futuristic touch”. The main headlights of the “digital tiger face” feature two rows of small cube-shaped lights inspired by the depiction of constellations and serve as “Star Map” LED daytime running lights. This trademark should also be used in future Kia models.

Kia has also revealed details about the motorization and the batteries: the most powerful model has a 99.8 kilowatt hour battery that can be combined with both rear (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD). In addition, a model version with a smaller battery of 76.1 kilowatt hours and rear-wheel drive is to be offered in individual markets.

The most powerful EV9 model is the four-wheel drive, whose two electric motors deliver a total of 283 kilowatts and a combined torque of 600 Newton meters. The model is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour (km/h) within six seconds. The acceleration performance can be increased with the optional “Boost” function, which will be available in the new Kia Connect Store. This increases the torque to 700 Newton meters and reaches 100 km/h after 5.3 seconds, according to Kia.

The EV9 model with rear-wheel drive and a 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery has a 150-kilowatt electric motor with 350 Newton meters of torque, which accelerates the SUV to 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds. The RWD version with the smaller battery has an output of 160 kilowatts (350 Newton meters of torque) and reaches 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.

In terms of range, Kia states that the version with rear-wheel drive and 19-inch wheels can reach 541 kilometers according to WLTP. Thanks to its 800-volt charging capability, the car can be recharged for a distance of 239 kilometers in around 15 minutes.

Despite the bulky shape, the E-SUV should have good aerodynamics, which according to the car manufacturer are 0.28 and thus on a level with the visually sleeker EV6. According to the manufacturer, a number of features such as a special 3D underbody paneling, which has a convex shape in the front part and a concave shape in the rear part, contribute to the aerodynamics. “Aerodynamically optimized rims and innovative air inlets (air curtains) in the front bumper” also play a role.

For the spacious interior, Kia offers various configurations with six and seven seats, of which the middle row of seats can be equipped with rotating seats, among other things. For this series, Kia offers four variants “tailored to different usage situations including charging stops and longer breaks”.

In the cockpit, the EV9 is equipped with a free-standing AVNT (Audio Visual, Navigation and Telematics) display, which consists of two 12.3-inch screens and extends over the center console. Behind the steering wheel, which is always leather-free, the screen informs the driver(s) about speed, range and the navigation status. Kia does not rely entirely on the display interface: there are a number of tactile buttons below the screen – including for the start/stop function of the infotainment system and for controlling the air conditioning.

For the interior, Kia has focused on sustainability: the car is leather-free and consists largely of bio-based materials made from corn, sugar cane and natural oils. In addition, each vehicle contains plastic from 70 PET bottles.

With the color palette of the EV9, Kia was inspired “by the four natural core elements of light, air, earth and water” to “connect to the beauty of nature and let it flow into the design philosophy of the EV9”.

Depending on the market, there are six variants to choose from for the interior design: from a light gray to natural tones to the sporty-looking interior of the EV9 GT-Line.

With regard to the EV9 GT-Line, which Kia has announced alongside the EV9, it can be mentioned that, according to the carmaker, the series has an “independent aesthetic” that stands out from the basic model. According to Kia, the front and rear bumpers, the rims and the roof rails are designed in black tones, “which gives the GT-Line a strong and confident presence”. The model series also has an “exclusively designed, emphatically dynamic variant of the ‘Digital Pattern Lighting Grill’,” says Kia.

Kia’s EV9 will also be one of the carmaker’s first models with extended autonomy options after Level 3. The e-SUV will have a Autobahn traffic jam pilot (Highway Driving Pilot), which, according to the company, “enables all the requirements for driving at Autonomy Level 3”. becomes.

For autonomous driving, 15 sensors, including two lidar systems, are on board, which should enable the highway traffic jam pilot to search for and identify objects in a full 360-degree field of view. The system can recognize the course of the road and other road users and react to them to prevent potential collisions.

Kia initially plans to offer the system in the EV9 GT-Line. The company intends to announce further details about the Autobahn traffic jam pilot in the run-up to the market launch.

The Kia EV9 also has an app store and the ability to import updates over the air. A number of options should be able to be booked later via the “Connect Store”, such as the “Boost” function mentioned. According to Kia, special light patterns for the “Digital Pattern Lighting Grill” can also be booked here, depending on the market.

According to Kia, other digital functions include a “remote parking assistant II” and streaming content via the infotainment system. Furthermore, a blind spot assistant with steering and braking intervention as well as a lane departure warning system with corrective steering intervention and an intelligent speed assistant are to be integrated in the Kia EV9.

A navigation-based “adaptive cruise control system” is intended to ensure greater safety on motorways and expressways. The Autobahn Assistant II can also take over the lane change, whereby the system is to ensure through “Hands-On Detection” (HOD) that the hands remain on the steering wheel.

With the EV9, Kia supports the “Digital Key 2”, with which the vehicle can be opened and started via UWB (ultra wideband) with a smartphone while the smartphone is in the
pocket can remain.

Like the EV6 and the Ioniq 5 (test) from the parent company, the e-SUV supports a “Vehicle-to-Load” function (V2L) with an integrated charge control unit. With this it is possible to draw power from the vehicle battery with an output of up to 3.68 kilowatts in order to connect laptops, household appliances or camping equipment or to charge an e-bike.

With a trailer load of 2,500 kilograms, the EV9 is on par with BMW’s Edelstromer iX (test). The E-SUV can also be used to transport heavy trailers or caravans.

Kia still owes a price for the EV9. However, it is becoming apparent that the model will be the manufacturer’s most expensive electric car to date. Nevertheless, Kia is not striving to make itself comfortable in the premium segment, but wants to remain in the mainstream and also offer cheaper models.

The Kia EV9 will initially be available to order in the home market of South Korea in the course of the second quarter, before being launched in Europe in the second half of 2023. Only then will Kia name prices.