The Kia EV9, Kia’s flagship electric SUV, made its global debut in March 2023. Back then, it was speculated that the India-bound EV9 SUV would go on sale in our market by 2024. But now, putting all speculations to rest, the South Korean manufacturer said that it will launch its biggest and most expensive SUV next year in India. The Kia EV9 is based on the E-GMP (electric global modular platform), which also underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6. In Kia's Indian line-up, the upcoming model will sit above the Kia EV6 –the carmaker's born-electric SUV.
Once launched, the EV9 will be the company's second all-electric model in India after the EV6. The EV9 measures 5,010mm in length, 1,980mm in width, and 1,755mm in height, making it one of the largest Kia PVs to date. It has a long wheelbase of 3,100mm, which is 200mm longer than Kia's largest ICE-powered SUV – the Telluride.
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Kia EV9 SUV: Interior and Features
The internationally available model is available in both 6- and 7-seat configurations. Both the front- and second-row seats of the EV9 are equipped with the power-reclining function. This means that the seats can be reclined while the vehicle is being charged. Also, in the 6-seat variants, the second-row seats can be rotated by up to 180 degrees.
The EV9 SUV offers a spacious and airy cabin. The vehicle features two 12.3-inch touchscreens integrated with a 5-inch segment display at the centre. The cabin gets a single row of touch buttons underneath the touchscreen for the infotainment system. There is another row of buttons below the air vents for the air-conditioning. The electric SUV has a claimed boot space of 571 litres, which can be increased to 2,320 litres by folding the two rows.
Kia EV9 SUV: Powertrain & Performance
In the international market, the EV9 is offered with both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations. A 76.1kWh battery unit powers the base RWD model, which offers 218bhp and 350Nm. Thanks to this, the SUV can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds. The RWD Long Range model, on the hand, is equipped with a 99.8kWh battery pack. This model produces 204bhp and 350Nm and can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 9.4 seconds.
The AWD version gets two motors (one for each axle) and uses a 99.8kWh battery pack. The power and torque figures of this model are rated at 380bhp and 600Nm. As a result, the SUV can do the 0 – 100km/h sprint in 6 seconds, which can be reduced to 5.3 seconds with an OTA software update.
Kia EV9 SUV: Range
According to market reports, only the Long Range RWD Kia EV9 has an estimated range of 541km as per WLTP standards. The Kia EV9 can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent, offering a range of 239 kilometres, in just 25 minutes using an 800-volt charging device.
Kia EV9 SUV: Exterior Details
The SUV’s headlamps and taillamps get a vertical design, along with sharp-edged wheel inserts, Star Map LED DRLs (daytime running lights) merging with the headlight units on both sides, flush-fitted door handles, and Kia's signature Tiger Nose grille with single air vent. Besides, the SUV gets a tall & flat roofline, a tiny frunk, and aero-style alloys with square-shaped elements. It runs on 21-inch alloy wheels. The lower-spec variants, however, come with either 19- or 20-inch wheels.
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Overseas, the Kia EV9 is available in Standard and GT-Line versions. The GT-Line gets ADAS, enabling hands-free navigation on highways without supervision. The SUV also gets the highway driving pilot system with Level 3 automated driving, potentially allowing the driver to operate the vehicle hands-free. It uses 15 sensors, including two lidars, radar, and a 360-degree camera.
In terms of pricing, expect the upcoming EV9 to be priced around Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom) in India. The Indian market is expected to get the Long Range model. Additionally, Kia will also release an EV9 GT Performance model, details of which will be released later.
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