Kia EV9 Global Debut: 3 Rows, Probable 300-Plus Miles of Range
After releasing photos of the upcoming three-row EV9’s exterior and interior earlier in March, Kia has now divulged more details about what drivers can expect behind the wheel, including the all-electric SUV’s powertrain, performance, charging and tech. The big caveat is that all available specs apply only to the global model; while the EV9 will make its way stateside, shoppers will need to wait a little longer for U.S. specifics.
Related: Kia Reveals First Images of All-Electric 2024 EV9 SUV
Powertrain Menu, Performance
The EV9 will employ Kia and Hyundai’s dedicated EV platform shared with its two-row sibling, the EV6, and cousin Ioniq 5 (Kia and Hyundai are related automakers). The EV9 will offer a single-motor rear-wheel-drive or dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup and two battery options: A 76.1-kilowatt-hour battery will be paired exclusively with the standard-range RWD model, while a larger 99.8-kWh battery pack will come with the long-range RWD and AWD variants.
According to Kia’s estimates, the RWD drive long-range model will have a 0-62 mph time of 9.4 seconds; the standard-range RWD model will reach that in 8.2 seconds; and AWD models will have the fastest sprint of 6.0 seconds. The dual-motor AWD variant is expected to get an approximately estimated 380 horsepower and about 443 pounds-feet of torque.
For comparison, the smaller EV6, which is currently available in the U.S., offers a single-motor RWD setup for 225 hp or dual-motor AWD for 320 hp; a performance-oriented GT variant is available exclusively with AWD for 576 hp, and all models employ a 77.4-kWh battery pack. According to the brand’s estimates, the 0-60 mph time for RWD models is 7.2 seconds; that number drops to 5.1 seconds for AWD models and 3.4 seconds for the GT. The EV6 gets an EPA-estimated range of up to 310 miles with RWD and 282 miles with AWD.
Range and Charging
Kia said it’s targeting a range of approximately 336 miles for the long-range RWD EV9, but shoppers will likely see a different range figure when the SUV arrives in the U.S.: Kia’s global estimate is based on European testing standards, which differ from (and are typically higher than) EPA ratings. As for charging time, the brand says the SUV will add 149 miles of range in 15 minutes with 800-volt DC fast charging. Additionally, the EV9 will offer vehicle-to-load bidirectional charging capability to power electronics and appliances with up to 3.68 kW of power.
Futuristic Tech
Kia says the EV9’s GT-Line trim will offer Level 3 semi-autonomous driving capability in the future through what it calls Highway Driving Pilot. The system uses radar and lidar technology to monitor road conditions and react without any driver input. The feature is unlikely to make it to the U.S. in the near future since Level 3 technology is not approved in all 50 states. Mercedes-Benz recently announced it will be the first automaker to bring Level 3 technology stateside, but it’s only approved in Nevada for now. U.S.-based shoppers are more likely to see features like Remote Smart Parking Assist and Highway Driving Assist in the EV9; the driver-assist and self-parking features are offered in the EV6 as part of Kia’s Drive Wise suite.
3-Row Rivals
While there are many all-electric SUVs on the market, only a few offer three-row seating configurations. The available options include the Mercedes-EQ EQS SUV, Rivian R1S, and the Tesla Model X and Model Y. It’s also worth noting that the third rows in the EQS SUV and Model Y are tight and only accommodate small occupants. In addition to the EV9, new three-row EVs like the Volvo EX90 and Hyundai Ioniq 7 (a cousin to the EV9) are expected to arrive by 2024.
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