All the technologies and features in the all-electric Kia EV9 SUV

Image Credits: Kia/screenshot

Kia on Tuesday revealed the next EV in its portfolio, the EV9, a three-row flagship SUV packed with technology and a key product in the company’s mission to reach annual sales of 1.2 million battery electric vehicles by 2030.

The South Korean automaker didn’t reveal pricing, but did provide several details on the SUV, which will go on sale in select global markets in the second half of 2023. And more details are likely to come next week when the Kia EV9 is launched. It will make its North American debut at the New York Auto Show.

While Kia hasn’t listed every market the EV9 SUV will be sold in, it’s definitely made for North America. Kia has already won over US customers with its full-size Telluride SUV. It’s a bet that it can find more customers than other similarly sized EVs on the market right now, such as the Mercedes EQS SUV and the Rivian R1S, a large versatile electric SUV.

The stakes for the company are certainly high. In a live broadcast on Tuesday, Kia CEO Ho-Sung Song said, “In many ways, we consider the Kia EV9 to be the new brand. In the year After its launch in 2021, the Kia EV6 has played an important role in repositioning the Kia brand, but the Kia EV9 will move us even further.

Here are the features and technologies that stand out in the all-electric Kia EV9 SUV.

The basics

The EV9 is a three-row SUV based on the company’s Electric Global Modular Platform (e-GMP), with 122-inch wheels and an overall length of 197 inches, which is similar to other full-size SUVs on the market. Including today’s popular internal combustion engine powered Kia Telluride. The E-GMP platform is shared with Hyundai and underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 compact crossover.

The EV9 will come with standard trim as well as a GT-Line model design with a digital patterned light grille and other exterior features that differentiate it from its base model counterpart. Buyers can choose from a variety of electric powertrain configurations, including rear-wheel-drive standard models with a 76.1kW battery and RWD and all-wheel drive models with 99.8kW. Clock battery.

The RWD long-range vehicle has an estimated range of 541 kilometers (or 336 miles) according to the WLTP (Worldwide Integrated Light Vehicle Test Procedure) standard. (WLTP is typically more generous than EPA estimates.) It also comes equipped with a 150 kW electric motor capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.4 seconds, according to the company. The standard RWD version of the EV9 also comes with a more powerful 160 kW electric motor that can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.

The EV9 is equipped with an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows super-fast charging of 239 km (or 136 miles) to be added to the battery in 15 minutes.

Digital services

Kia will open a store called the Kia Connect Store, where customers can purchase digital features and services on demand. For example, a Kia EV9 owner may decide after purchasing that they want that remote smart parking assist feature. You can now open the Kia app and select that item to update the vehicle with an over-the-air software update.

Owners can improve performance and lighting characteristics.

light up

Speaking of lighting, the Kia EV9 is using what it calls a “digital tiger face.”

No, there are no tigers on or in this vehicle. Instead, it’s a playful name for the new lighting scheme on the front grille. Next to the two vertical headlights are two small cube lights that create an animated light pattern. Owners can change the design of the digital tiger face.

Internal

In the Kia EV9, there is a curved digital screen that extends from the center point of the driver’s seat.

The Kia EV9 comes with a few interior options, including a seven-seat or six-seat configuration and a variety of second-row seating options.

A nice feature for the second row of seats – if they are special “rotating” – is the ability to rotate 180 degrees so that passengers can face each other. This option is intended to be used when the SUV is charging. The vehicle is equipped with charging points and cup holders, including in the third row.

Kia has also approached the sustainability angle for this vehicle. But it looks like more than just washing the green. The company is moving away from leather to bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane and natural oils, aiming to increase its use of recycled plastics to 20 percent by 2030.

The company is using 70 PET bottles in each EV9, as well as recycled fishing nets for the floor mats.

Power source

The Kia EV9 will have vehicle charging capability, which is a great way to describe it as a portable power source. The EV9 can deliver 3.68kW of power just like its EV6 sibling. That’s enough to charge a smartphone or laptop or camping equipment for the “ultimate driving adventure,” the company says.

By the way, the data points associated with the power of 3.68 kW are specifically for the European market, where the standard voltage is 230 V. (Information on maximum power varies by market, depending on Kia).

ADAS

Kia is targeting an advanced driver assistance system in the Kia EV9 GT-line, which offers hands-free driving on highways in select markets. Called Highway Pilot, the system offers so-called Level 3 automatic steering, which in theory allows drivers to take off and stay out of sight in certain situations.

To allow for that, Kia has added 15 sensors, two lidar, radar and cameras for a full 360-degree field of view system that reacts to prevent potential collisions with the road and other users.

The Highway Pilot (HDP) system is only available in select markets, the company said.

There will be a number of other active safety features in the vehicle, including rear-traffic collision avoidance assist to prevent collisions with oncoming vehicles when reversing. ADAS keeps the vehicle in line, maintains speed and distance from vehicles in front, and sets up a check system to ensure drivers are engaged.

The EV9 is set to make its physical debut this month at the Seoul Mobility Show 2023. It will then be unveiled at this year’s New York International Auto Show in early April.