There are many SUVs, but if we impose the criteria of making seven seats available, the offer is drastically reduced. Even more so if the requirement is that the model in question is powered exclusively by battery. Precisely to take advantage of this gap in the market, Kia turned to its platform dedicated to electric vehicles, Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), to design the EV9.. It is an SUV destined to play the role of top of the range of the South Korean brand, as is now the case with the Sorento, but 100% electric.
With the EV9, the Seoul manufacturer enters a market where the Model X is king and lord, although Tesla’s SUV should be about 10 cm shorter than the Kia. And we write “must” because the brand has not revealed the final dimensions of the EV9. However, since the final version of this model is extremely faithful to the concept that preceded it, presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late 2021, we deduce that there will be few variations in terms of measurements. At that time, the advanced length was 4.93 meters, that is, even greater than that of the Sorento.
The EV9 that will begin to be sold at the end of this year, as we anticipate here, exhibits obvious similarities with the prototype that served as its base, assuming a daring and at the same time imposing style. As is, by the way, typical of models that point to a more statutory position. Here clearly betting on the geometry of the shapes, from the front with sharp lines to the polygonal profile, culminating in a rear where the optical groups and the spoiler contribute to reinforce the height of the SUV, without renouncing the angular features.
With an image that some will like and others will not, the new Kia EV9 has an undeniably striking design.. The front is, in our opinion, the happiest aesthetically, with the closed grille in body color and outlined by “digital pattern” lighting, thus transporting the brand’s typical tiger nose into the future. The same goes for the LED daytime running lights, which here evolve into the ‘Star Map’ concept with an animated light pattern that will be integrated into future Kia BEVs.
Spacious, versatile, functional and, as expected, with good materials. This is the EV9 inside
Inside, the watchword is “space”, a requirement that is easier to meet when based on architecture designed from the ground up to house batteries and electric motors. The flat base and long wheelbase combine to offer a spacious cabin, whether in a six-seater (2+2+2) or seven-seater (2+3+2) configuration, advancing the mark that the second row of seats can rotate 180 degrees to facilitate moments of conviviality on longer trips. To the space we must add a technological environment, punctuated by what appears to be a large screen, but which are actually three continuous screens. One is at the service of the instrumentation (12.3 inches), another serves to regulate the climate (5”) and the third (12.3”) is intended to exploit the infotainment system.
It is also known that the future EV9 will benefit from an 800V architecture, which will allow it to connect with direct current charging of up to 350 kW of power. However, no technical specifications have been released. About engines, battery packs and autonomy not a word. But the silence will be broken at the end of this month, because next day 29 Kia will give new details about this electric SUV that, around here, We are able to anticipate that it will not cost less than €80,000. And it comes in October.
Source: Observadora
