Kia EV9 spotted testing in India ahead of late 2024 launch

After debuting as a concept at the 2023 Auto Expo, the Kia EV9 electric SUV has been spotted in production testing in Hyderabad. Set to be launched in India later this year, the EV9 will be offered with level 3 ADAS and will be the biggest and most expensive car on the Kia India shelf.

Kia EV9: Battery and Range

The Kia EV9 is built upon the E-GMP platform. Kia will sell the EV9 in a variety of configurations, with two battery sizes available. There will be a Standard variant with a 76.1kWh battery that will be available with a rear-wheel drive system. The long-range variant will feature a larger 99.8 kW h battery and will be available in both RWD and AWD configurations.

The long-range Kia EV9 will have a range of up to 541 km on a single charge. The electric SUV will include an 800-volt design capable of charging the EV for more than 200 km in 15 minutes utilizing fast charging.

The long-distance variant will be equipped with an electric motor capable of producing 204PS and 350Nm of peak torque. It has a 0 to 100 kmph acceleration time of 9.4 seconds. The base variant produces 217PS and 350 Nm of peak torque, with a 0 to 100 kmph acceleration time of roughly 8.2 seconds. The most powerful AWD model is equipped with two electric motors capable of producing 385PS and 600Nm of peak torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in under six seconds.

Kia EV9: Design and Features

The EV9 introduces new ideas, design, and technology to the industry, spearheading the brand's rapid transformation into a sustainable mobility solutions provider in the electrified era. Nearly all of the design cues from the prototype displayed at the Auto Expo 2023 are still present in the SUV. Inverted Z-shaped LED DRLs and an extended bonnet with a blanked-off grille are featured on its front fascia. The boxy form, enormous wheel arches, flushed door handles, door-mounted ORVMs, and a sizable window area, on the other hand, define its side profile.

Kia will sell the EV9 with six or seven seats. The inside was created using recyclable and sustainable resources such as maize, sugar cane, natural oils, and recycled PET bottles. Three screens dominate the dashboard: a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a similar-sized digital instrument cluster, and a third 5.0-inch display. Kia will include massage capabilities on the seats, as well as a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, ambient lighting, a large sunroof, and other goodies.

Kia has stated that the EV9 electric SUV would include level 3 ADAS technology. With its Highway Driving Pilot program, Kia will provide the function in the higher-spec GT-Line model. It will make use of 15 sensors strategically positioned throughout the room.

The Kia EV9 is expected to be priced above the Rs 80 lakh mark making it even more expensive than the EV6 that is currently the only electric vehicle on offer by Kia India. The launch of this big South Korean SUV is expected to only take place late this year after Kia launches the new Kia Carnival.

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