Kia has unveiled Kia EV9, its first three-row seat electric flagship SUV that brings fresh thinking, design, and technology to the sector and spearheads the brand’s rapid transformation to a sustainable mobility solutions provider.
Based on the game-changing Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV9 ensures athletic performance, complemented by a targeted all-electric range over 541 km, according to the World harmonised Light vehicle Testing Procedure (WLTP).
Ultra-fast 800-volt charging capability enables the EV9 battery pack to be replenished with sufficient charge to power the vehicle for 239 km in approximately 15 minutes .
Technological breakthroughs
Numerous technological breakthroughs include the Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system, available in the Kia EV9 GT-line in the future, enabling conditional Level 3 autonomous driving in selected markets.
It also introduces the Kia Connect Store, which enables customers to purchase digital features and services on demand, giving them the flexibility to choose the features they want and continuously upgrade the capability of the EV9 with Over the Air (OTA) updates at any time.
Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, said: “The Kia EV9 transcends all aspects of traditional SUV thinking and represents the pinnacle of Kia’s design and engineering capabilities. Created to meet the needs of all family members, the EV9 also spearheads Kia’s rapid transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider, not just by its advanced EV architecture, but also through the numerous recycled and sustainable materials used in its creation.”
Kia will begin offering pre-order of the EV9 for the Korean market in the second quarter of 2023. The Kia EV9 will go on sale in selected global markets from the second half of the year.
Design: reshaping the SUV user experience
Guided by the brand’s 'Opposites United' design philosophy, the EV9 re-envisions the all-electric SUV with a unique balance of natural and modern elements. The ‘Bold for Nature’ design pillar, which inspires the combination of elements from the natural and material worlds, has played a pivotal role in forming the design of the EV9.
The Kia EV9’s exterior provides a sense of serene contemporary calmness befitting of a sophisticated EV for a new age of sustainable mobility. The vehicle features a 3,100-mm wheelbase, supported by a choice of 21-inch, 20-inch or 19-inch wheels. With an overall length of 5,010 mm, it stands at 1,980-mm wide and 1,755-mm tall, displaying a bold and contemporary appearance while still maintaining its unique character.
The Kia EV9 offers a range of seating options that cater to diverse needs. It offers seven-seater and six-seater configurations and a variety of second-row seat options, totalling to four, suitable for different situations such as moving, charging, and resting. The first-row features relaxation seats that ensure a comfortable resting posture.
The second row, for the first time among global EV models, offers four seating options, including 3-seater bench seats, basic-type, relaxation-type, and swivel-type two-seater independent seats, providing customers with a variety of usage methods to choose from.
Sustainability: setting new standards
Kia’s strategic commitment to become a leader in sustainable mobility, and its declared roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, extend beyond the provision of zero-emission EV drivetrains.
They also encompass the materials used in the vehicle’s construction, and the EV9 takes this to the next level, with eco-friendly materials applied to set new standards in sustainable mobility.
The Kia EV9 marks a pioneering milestone as the first model to embrace the brand’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy, initiated to phase out the use of leather, apply ten ‘must-have’ sustainable items to all new Kia models and continuously increase the use of bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane, and natural oils. Kia’s target is to increase the proportion of recycled plastics it uses to 20% by 2030.
The EV9's colour palette draws inspiration from nature's four core elements, namely light, air, earth, and water, to establish a connection with nature's beauty and fuse it into the EV9's design philosophy.
The EV9's interior features a total of six different combinations, from a light modern grey to elegant natural tones and a more sporting version for the GT-line.
Full range of multiple zero-emission mobility solutions
The EV9 features a broad choice of electric powertrain configurations based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and utilising Kia’s fourth-generation battery technology. A 76.1-kWh battery is offered exclusively with the Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Standard model , while a 99.8-kWh battery is fitted in both the RWD Long Range and All Wheel Drive (AWD) variants.
The RWD Long Range model utilises a 150 kW / 350 Nm electric motor, endowing the SUV with the ability to accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 9.4 seconds, as preliminary data reveals. Also powered by a single electric motor, albeit a more powerful 160 kW / 350 Nm variant, the Standard RWD EV9 can accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.
The AWD variant is equipped with two electric motors that together unleash a total power output of 283 kW and a combined torque of 600 Nm. This potent combination enables the SUV to surge from 0-to-100 km/h in just 6.0 seconds. And even greater levels of performance are available with an optional Boost feature, available for later purchase at the Kia Connect Store. The combined torque is increased to an exceptional 700 Nm, enabling the EV9 to accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds.-- TradeArabia News Service
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