Kia

Kia Corporation

 

Kia finally decided that the EV6 is going to be followed by the EV9. The large SUV will be the second model on Kia's 800-volt platform. We won't be able to sit in the production model until 2023, but the Concept EV9 already gives a concrete impression of the upcoming SUV.

The Concept EV9 (or the later production model) was designed in Kia's American design studio. You can easily tell that by vehicle size and appearance. Kia believes that it will be a combination of American design and Korean art.

 

 

The Design

The first impression

Kia Corporation

 

The first impression often says a lot about a vehicle's styling and with the Concept EV9 it really does because it's huge! With a length of 16 ft, it towers over the Audi e-Tron already by a few inches. Over 6,5 ft width, almost 6ft height and huge 22 inch wheels emphasize the massive appearance.

Triangles can be found as a style-defining element in the rims, the transition to the doors and in the B-pillar. The angular wheel arches contrast with the curved door surfaces; sharply cut front and rear lights follow the interplay of corners and curves. Kia calls this design philosophy "Opposites United".

The doors will open in opposite directions, which happens electrically at the push of a button in the Kia Concept EV9. We think that the production vehicle will certainly have "normal" doors and a B-pillar for crash safety reasons alone.

 

 

The Interior

Kia Corporation

Kia Corporation

 

The lounge-like interior, with its soft carpets made from recycled fishing nets, offers further references to the production model. Kia will install up to three rows of seats inside, at least for an additional charge.

The front row could even be shaped as a three-seater bench, which was more common on US models in the past. The EV9 even has the potential to become an eight-seater (3+3+2) and could lure some "soccer moms" from the van into the E-SUV.

What exactly the interior will look like remains to be seen. But we will find a flat vehicle floor, plenty of space for the passengers, a large trunk, and wide, almost floating 27-inch dual display in the cockpit in a similar form in the series.

Other technical highlights are the camera exterior mirrors, which should definitely have a chance of being used in series production, as well as the over-the-air update capability (OTA) including "Functions-on-Demand" (FOD). For the first time in a Kia, it should be possible to unlock certain functions via an update.

 

 

The Tech

Autonomous

 

Autonomous driving at level 3 should also be possible before the market launch, called “AutoMode” at Kia. Certain driving situations can then be carried out completely by the vehicle without the driver having to monitor them - in this case, the responsibility lies with the vehicle or the manufacturer.

Since the EV9 uses the E-GMP platform technology kit, it will also use 800-volt technology. Assuming a sufficiently powerful charging station, this would allow charging times from 10 to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes, as we already know from the current models on this platform, such as the Kia EV6.

 

 

The Power

The range

Kia Corporation

 

The range according to the WLTP standard should be 335 miles. On paper, the EV9 even surpasses the EV6 with the longest range. However, since the large SUV will not achieve the same consumption, a larger battery can be assumed - at least in the top model.

We expect ten instead of the eight-cell modules that are installed in the 77.4 kWh battery of the Kia EV6. This results in an estimated capacity of around 97 kWh. The peak charging capacity could then be around 300 kilowatts.

The EV9 will not lack power on the drive side either. The E-SUV should be able to accelerate from 0 to 69 mph in five seconds, and all-wheel drive can be considered a given. However, cheaper models could only be delivered with the more efficient rear-wheel drive and a smaller battery.

 

Conclusion

Although Kia has not yet been able to provide any specific information on the possible production site for the EV9 (so far all electric cars have rolled off the assembly line in Korea), it is very likely that the EV9 will be produced in the USA and exported to other markets from here.

Until then, there is still some time to trim the EV9 for series production. The production version is not expected to come onto the market until the second half of 2023. Then we will see if the second impression follows the first.

The EV9 is still in the concept phase but it will soon be available for everyone to buy. When you do get yourself one of these large SUVs, you are going to need proper protective equipment for it.

Check out Coverking’s catalog for custom covers and accessories, they will digitally scan every new vehicle in the market and create the best custom outcome from the best materials available.

 

 

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Tankut Basar

Tankut Basar is an ARA (American Rally Assoc.) Racing Driver and an FIA Bronze Category License Holder. His passion for driving began with karting like most racers. He started racing internationally at the age of 22. Tankut loves everything car-related and will keep enjoying the drive until the end.

 

 

 

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