Kia EV9 Electric SUV Spied For The First Time; Launch Next Year
Late last year, Kia debuted the EV9 electric SUV concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show for 2021. With its initial round of EV launches around the world, the Hyundai Motor Group, which includes Hyundai and Kia, has had great success. The 2022 World Car of the Year award went to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which will make its Indian debut soon.
In contrast, the Kia EV6 won the title of 2022 European Car of the Year. The Ioniq 5 will join the Indian market via the CKD method and is anticipated to cost less than Rs. 45 lakh, whereas the EV6 has already made its way into the country (ex-showroom). Recently, official images of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 car, which competes with the Tesla Model 3, were made public. and according to the WLTP cycle, it has a 610 km driving range.
In terms of Kia, it appears to be preparing to introduce the production-spec EV9 next as it has been spotted testing. According to reports, the electric SUV will look 80–90% like the prototype. Even though the test mule was covered in camouflage, we could easily make out comparable creases on its body to those in the idea.
A noticeable distinction is that Kia chose conventional doors rather than the concept's rear suicide doors. Additionally, the conspicuous Y-shaped tail lamps, wheel arches, and vertically positioned headlamps are all less prominent. The EV9 is anticipated to debut in 2023 on international markets; it is not yet known if it will come to India.
On a single charge, it could travel 483 kilometers and accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just five seconds. The unique E-GMP skateboard architecture will support the EV9 in a similar way to the EV6, and it will be able to charge extremely quickly—zero to 80 percent replenishment could happen in less than 30 minutes.
By 2027, the Hyundai Motor Group hopes to release 31 all-electric vehicles, 14 of which will come from Kia. The South Korean car giant will start importing two new zero-emission vehicles every year the following year.