Kia unveiled its all-electric 2024 EV9 SUV at the 2023 New York International Auto Show yesterday. The EV9 is the first three-row EV SUV from Kia and is the flagship of the global Plan S strategy. This is the first time the EV9 has been unveiled in North America.
“With the launch of the EV9, we are incorporating our experience in producing brilliantly designed, best-in-class SUVs with our deep expertise in developing the industry’s leading EVs,” said Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America in a statement.
The EV9 has a long wheelbase, flat floor, and seating for up to seven passengers. The vehicle’s fourth-generation battery technology is integrated with in-vehicle technology, over-the-air updates, ultra-wideband-based Digital Key, and Onboard Power Generator (V2L) functionality. The EV9’s standard 800V electrical architecture enables ultrafast recharging on high-speed DC chargers, designed to go from a 10 to 80 percent state of charge in under 25 minutes.
A dual-motor EV9 GT-Line offers 379 hp and 516 lb.-ft. of torque, targets 0-to-60 mph acceleration in 5 seconds. There will be 7.8 inches of ground clearance and up to 5,000 lb. of towing capacity, says Kia.
The exterior styling of the EV9 features the Tiger Face, a reinterpretation of the Kia “Tiger Nose” grille, and the boxy, triangular design language emphasizes the tension of its short overhangs and long wheelbase. The interior of the EV9 introduces the “Ten Must-Have Items,” a new paradigm in Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) that will also be applied to future Kia models.
The EV9 refines and expands Kia’s roster of standard and available Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Debuting on the EV9 for the Kia brand in North America are Advanced Highway Driving Assist (AHDA), Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA-2), and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA-2).
The EV9 will be available with a choice of two powertrain options. Standard is a 76.1-kWh battery with a 160-kW (215-hp) motor that drives the rear wheels. An optional 99.8-kWh battery will be available in a single-motor configuration targeting 300 miles of all-electric range (AER), or a dual-motor, 283-kW (379-hp) torque vectoring all-wheel-drive configuration with 516 lb.-ft. of torque.
The EV9 is expected to debut in the U.S. in Q4 2023, and it is expected to be assembled in West Point, Georgia, beginning in 2024, making it the first Kia EV to be assembled locally in America. Pricing and specific trim details are coming soon in the future along with pricing.
