Kia’s EV9; an all-electric 7-seater SUV. It has a huge battery for good range, loads of space, great tech and superb charging!
What is the Kia EV9?
The EV9 is Kia’s newest EV based on the eGMP platform. It is a 7-seater, all-electric SUV with plenty of luggage space. At 5m long, 2m wide and 1.75m tall, it is an imposing SUV that aims to rival the likes of the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron.
What is the range of the Kia EV9?
The Kia is equipped with a gigantic 99.8kWh usable battery. WLTP range is up to 541km. But that will depend on how you spec the car. Your choice of wheels, door mirrors and especially the powertrain will affect just how far the Kia EV9 goes.
If you opt for the Dual Motor All Wheel Drive, then WLTP range drops to 497km. Of course, the WLTP range figure is always a little optimistic. You may get those figures in sedate summer driving, but something closer to 400km is a more real-world expectation.
Is the Kia EV9 fast?
There are a few options when it comes to buying the EV9. You can get the Rear Wheel Drive that has a 150kW motor producing 350Nm of torque. Considering the bulk of the EV9, it needs all of that 204hp. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 9.4 seconds, and will continue on to a top speed of 185km/h.
There is also an All Wheel Drive variant that features two 141kW motors; one to drive the front wheels and the other at the back. With excellent traction and added power, the AWD version will get to 100km/h in 6 seconds flat and continue on to 200km/h.
Spacious, 7-seat SUV
The EV9 is available as a 6 or 7-seater. The 6 seater has three rows of two seats each. The front two rows come with heated and ventilated seats as standard. As the EV9 is 1.75m tall and 2m wide, there is plenty of space for driver and passengers.
The boot is substantial with a capacity of 728 litres. With the third row seats upright that space gets reduced to 333 litres. There is a further 52 litres of space available in the frunk, and if you opt for the RWD then you get a 90 litre frunk.
What about the interior of the EV9?
There will likely be three spec levels for the EV9; a baseline trim, a middle level and the upper GT-line. The EV9 is packed with tech and plenty of features.
Kia’s excellent Adaptive Cruise Control will feature, but unfortunately the Irish market won’t get access to the level 3 autonomous driving as regulations don’t yet allow it.
We are treated to three separate screens. There is a 12.3” driver’s display, a 5.1” climate control touch screen, and another 12.3” infotainment screen. Thankfully, Kia have opted to keep a smattering of old-school buttons on the dash and on the steering wheel.
The sound system is a Meridian Premium, 14-speaker package that will adjust the volume depending on the speed of the car. There are also plenty of other features such as Remote Smart Parking, and a Digital key where you use your phone as the key.
Supply and Sales
The EV9 is expected in the latter part of 2023, perhaps November. Customer deliveries should begin in early 2024. We don’t yet have prices, but Kia have said that it will be more expensive than the GT-line EV6. They expect to compete with some other large premium SUVs such as the Audi Q8 e-tron, the Volvo EX90 and the BMW iX.
If you’re thinking of going EV for your next car, then check out our 6-part AA Guide to Buying an EV in Ireland. We got through everything you need to know including range, maintenance, charging and costs.
Learn more about insuring your EV with a dedicated insurance policy for Electric Vehicles!
