Kia EV9: We need electric cars like this

When the Kia EV9 was introduced, I was immediately excited. What an awesome e-car. It’s big, angular and doesn’t actually fit into a sustainable future – or does it? For me, electric cars like the Kia EV9 are necessary to be able to make the leap from combustion engines.

A commentary by Peter Hryciuk.

With the presentation of the Kia EV9, a lively discussion broke out in the editorial office. My esteemed colleague Sven Kaulfuss has already put his point of view in an article and finds such e-cars completely exaggerated. I have a completely different opinion. On the other hand, I agree with Sven that the resources needed to produce a Kia EV9 could certainly be used for more than just an electric car. But why should manufacturers only build small cars that ignore the needs of buyers? Then nobody will switch to an electric car.

SUVs are currently in vogue. If that’s exactly what is needed to make e-cars a success, then the car manufacturers have to build these types of cars. You always have to look at the relation. Nobody would swap a G-Class with a V8 engine for an Opel Corsa-e. With a Kia EV9, the chance is more likely. Then you would replace a gas guzzler with an electric car, which the owner would otherwise stick to because there is no equivalent alternative. You would also attract prestige and attention with the Kia EV9, which is what this type of car wants. I even managed to do that with the EV6.

The Kia EV9 simply enchanted me:

There must be a wide range of electric cars

For Sven, the behavior of the car manufacturers seems habitual and as if they don’t want to implement any changes in order to protect the environment in a really sustainable way. But in my eyes it is every switch from a combustion engine to an electric car is a great success. It is difficult enough to persuade people who do not want to deal with electromobility to switch. But if the right car with an electric drive is available, the chances increase greatly.

I noticed that when I tested the Kia EV6. I’m a stretch from that I drove 1,900 kilometers in winter in low temperatures, snow and storms and only then did I realize that none of that was a problem. There are enough charging stations. There was no fear of range and the car charged quickly. What more could you want? The car was big enough too. I want to switch from diesel, but the car I need doesn’t yet exist.

And so I come back to the point at the beginning. There must be a large selection of e-cars so that everyone has the opportunity to switch without major compromises. I’m looking for a city runabout that I can sometimes drive 250 kilometers on the autobahn, but that I can also load something into when I’m driving to Hornbach. But people have different needs. So this has nothing to do with a well-established car industry, but with the adaptation of the industry to the needs of the buyer. A large selection is therefore good for manufacturers and the environment.