Kia EV9 Production Slowed Down Despite High Demand
The 3-row flagship electric SUV from the Korean auto giant has been doing great on the sales charts ever since its launch
Kia EV9
Kia EV9 Recalled Over Issue With Remote Parking Assist – Are You Affected?
The EV9 is the flagship 7-seat electric SUV from the Korean auto giant which has gained a lot of traction in recent times
Kia Electric Pickup Truck Spied Testing, Looks Inspired By EV9
After the resounding success of the Kia EV9 7-seat electric SUV, the Korean auto giant is planning to give a shot to the electric mid-size pickup truck segment. The upcoming Kia electric pickup truck is finally on the road, albeit wearing a thick camouflage. Videos of the EV have surfaced online. This comes after Kia gets closer to launching its first pickup truck, the Tasman. But the electric pickup truck, which looks inspired by the design philosophy of other Kia EVs, will become the second pickup from the Korean car marque. I don’t think it will aim at competing against the likes of the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T in terms of performance. Therefore, it could lock horns with legacy pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV and Ram 1500 REV. You might also like: 2025 Kia EV6 Gets A Bigger Battery And More Range Kia Electric Pickup Truck – Design This video has been uploaded by KindelAuto on YouTube. The 2-minute-35-second-long video captures the mid-size electric pickup truck on the highways in the U.S. Interestingly, the video takes notice of the EV from every angle thoroughly. Look closely and you will even be able to spot the trademark matte blue colour of the EV9. At the front, the camouflage lets you peep inside at the LED DRLs and LED headlamp setup which remind us of the EV9. Furthermore, the taillamps seem to be borrowed from the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Still, I expect these elements to change slightly in the production-spec model. There are not enough details about the specifications of this electric truck just yet. But what could be intriguing to experience is the next-gen EV platform from Hyundai. This platform will likely offer more range at a more affordable price. For reference, the existing EV9 has an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles (489 km). Also, the price tag is an attractive $54,900. You might also like: Kia EV3 Teased Ahead of May 23 World Premiere Learn Electric Cars Says Hyundai Motor Company is aggressively focusing on expanding its global footprint. This strategy is also applicable to its sub-brands – Kia and Genesis. Apart from preparing global models, they are ensuring that they cater to all major market segments too. In fact, Kia has announced plans to launch 2 EVs every year and complete the lineup by 2027. Going by this logic, we can expect up to 8 new EVs by the end of 2027 if we start counting from 2024. Also, since SUVs have been the flavour of the season for most international markets in the last few years, Kia is focusing on this segment along with its derivatives like pickup truck space. Pickup trucks are excessively popular in markets like the U.S., Australia, the Middle East, Canada, etc. Going forward, we are bound to see more electric pickup trucks. This trend is already taking shape in the U.S. Therefore, Hyundai’s commitment to cater to the evolving trends could be the key to the conglomerate’s success in times to come.
Kia EV9 GT Will Boast 0-62 mph Time of 4 Secs, Debut in January 2025
The performance version of the ultra-practical 7-seat electric SUV from Kia will debut in the first month of next year. The fire-breathing Kia EV9 GT is slated to debut in January 2025, as per the official video from Kia’s 2024 CEO Investor Day Event which took place in Seoul, South Korea. Kia EV9, in case you forgot, is the 2024 World Car Of The Year. Not just that, it even boasts the title of the 2024 World Electric Vehicle Award. Hence, the 7-seat electric SUV is a critically acclaimed product already. With such validation for the regular model, the GT trim is bound to attract traction. Even though the spy media has spotted it testing at Germany’s iconic Nürburgring track, this is the first time Kia has officially shared some details. You might also like: Upcoming Affordable Kia Electric EVs – EV2 and EV3 Kia EV9 GT To Debut In Jan 2025 The 1-hour-27-minute-long video highlights Kia’s plans for the future. Around the 30-minute mark in this video, the President and CEO of Kia, Ho Sung Song, described the upcoming EV9 GT. While there were not too many specifics, there was enough data to point us towards the direction Kia is willing to take. Ho Sung Song mentions that it will continue to focus on the GT (performance) trims of its dedicated EVs. In fact, the GT version of the EV6 is already on sale in many international markets. The key details about the upcoming EV9 GT include “enormous power output” to achieve a remarkable 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration time of just 4 seconds. That is a whole 1.3 seconds faster than the EV9 GT-Line and just 0.5 seconds slower than the EV6 GT. This is especially impressive considering the EV9 GT-Line weighs a gargantuan 2,674 kg (Kerb) aka 5,895 lbs and 3,240 kg (Gross) aka 7,143 lbs. Hence, we could expect a bump in 576 hp and 738 Nm (545 lb-ft) figures found in the EV6 GT. Generally, Kia’s GT models come with a tweaked suspension setup along with tons of bodywork to enhance aerodynamics, along with new alloys and tyres for added traction during enthusiast driving. Hence, we could safely assume this to be the case with the upcoming EV9 GT too. More details will surface as time progresses and the debut nears. You might also like: Kia EV6 Facelift Spotted Testing – Everything We Know So Far Learn Electric Cars Says Kia is certainly firing on all cylinders. This capability comes from its parent group, Hyundai Motor Company. It has been actively pursuing multiple approaches to grab a major chunk of future mobility. This includes updated IC engines, hybrid mills, electric powertrains, alternative fuel-powered cars, etc. Kia benefits from these technologies. Hence, Kia is ensuring that current-day driving enthusiasts don’t feel left out in the world of electrification. That is what the GT trims of Kia’s models cater to. This is based on the same parallels as Hyundai’s N Division. We have already seen the Ioniq 5 N and the upcoming Ioniq 6 N. In the same vein, we shall witness the GT versions of the EV6 (already on sale) and the EV9 next year. All things considered, exciting times lie ahead for Kia loyalists.
All Winners At 2024 World Car Awards – Kia EV9 To BMW i5
The 2024 World Car Awards have been announced and the Korean auto giants have displayed an impressive performance. We take a look at all the winners at the 2024 World Car Awards. This ceremony took place yesterday at the New York International Auto Show. It represents a prestigious accolade within the automotive industry. The judging panel comprised over 100 expert journalists and automotive specialists from more than 30 countries. Drawing from a diverse range of experiences, they evaluated vehicles based on specific criteria to ensure the selection of only the finest models available. You might also like: Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e PHEV Announced w/ DC Fast Charging Winners at 2024 World Car Awards 2024 World Car Of The Year The finalists in this revered category were the BYD Seal, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30. However, it was the Korean Kia EV9 which took home the title. The jury recognized the innovative design, spacious cabin, plenty of tech features and enticing prices. Interestingly, it is not the only title the Kia EV9 bagged. 2024 World Electric Vehicle Award Next up, we take a look at the World Electric Vehicle Award. In this category, the contenders were – BMW i5, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30. Again, the award went to Kia EV9. That is a huge feather in the cap of the EV9 to have bagged two titles despite stiff competition. You might also like: Kia EV6 Facelift Spotted Testing – Everything We Know So Far 2024 World Performance Car The fire-breathing EVs were also competing for the 2024 World Performance Car award. As the name suggests, it included EVs which are designed for spirited driving characteristics. The finalists included BMW M2 (Second-gen), BMW XM and Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. On this occasion, the Korean giant, Hyundai took the cake with its IONIQ 5 N hot electric hatch/crossover. 2024 World Luxury Car You must’ve seen luxury carmakers offering their EVs in recent times as well. In these cases, the aim is to provide the utmost comfort and convenience to the occupants. The candidates for this category included – BMW 5 Series and i5, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. In this all-German encounter, the BMW 5 Series and i5 took the top spot (combined). You might also like: Key Highlights Of The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X Revealed 2024 World Urban Car Finally, the 2024 World Urban Car award was also up for grabs. This is for the vehicles which customers generally use for daily commutes. Hence, practicality, ownership characteristics and affordability might have been the deciding factors in this case. The top contenders were Volvo EX30, BYD Dolphin and Lexus LBX. The Swedish carmaker won this title with its EX30. You might also like: Mercedes VISION EQXX Drives 1,010 km On Single Charge, Still Has 309 km Range Left Learn Electric Cars Says This esteemed award ceremony serves as a validation for car manufacturers, affirming that they have produced something truly exceptional. With multiple categories, various aspects of vehicles are carefully evaluated for this prestigious accolade. The dominance of electric vehicles in these awards may indeed foreshadow future trends in the automotive industry.
Kia EV9 Electric SUV Partially Revealed Via Official Teasers
The upcoming Kia EV9 has been partially revealed via official teasers by the Korean carmaker. EV9 will sit above the existing and wildly successful EV6. In fact, the EV9 will be Kia’s flagship electric car based on the E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform). We have seen the 7-seat electric SUV undergoing thorough and rigorous tests over the last year but the latest teaser reveals the final production version. The global premiere is slated for March 15, 2023. You might also like: 2023 Hyundai KONA Electric vs 2023 Kia Niro EV – Specs, Range and Price Comparison Kia EV9 – Specs While the official figures will be out closer to the launch, we have an idea of what the Korean carmaker could equip the EV9 with. There could be three variants to choose from – a regular RWD, a long-range RWD and a performance-focused dual-motor AWD trim. As far as the battery capacity is concerned we might see a 100 kWh unit on the AWD and long-range RWD trims which would be the largest on any Kia EV ever. What we know is that it will support an 800 V electrical architecture which means that the DC ultra-fast charging will be capable of 350 kW charging. This will allow the EV to be charged upto 80% in around 20 mins. We could expect a driving range of around 300 miles (483 km) and the power figures could range from 200 hp to 400 hp. Kia EV9 Specs (expected) Battery 100 kWh Range 300 mi (483 km) Acceleration (0-100 km/h) (0-62 mph) 6 secs Power 200 hp – 400 hp DC Ultra-Fast Charging 350 kW Architecture 800 V Expected Specs of Kia EV9 You might also like: Hyundai IONIQ 6 vs Kia EV6 – Specs, Price Comparison Kia EV9 – Dimensions The one thing we know from the concept is the dimensions. The electric SUV will be just under 5 m in length which will liberate a more-than-generous wheelbase of 3.1 m. Moreover, the flat floor will allow it to feel even more spacious which is a trait of the modern EVs. Kia EV9 Dimensions Length 4,929 mm (194 in) Width 2,055 mm (81 in) Height 1,790 mm (70 in) Wheelbase 3,100 mm (122 in) Kia EV9 Dimensions Interior and Features Hyundai Motor Group is focusing its attention on the use of sustainable and recyclable materials to develop the interior of its latest and futuristic EVs. As a result, the Kia EV9 will have no use of genuine leather but vegan leather and other sustainable materials including fishnet debris, recycled plastic water bottles, bio extracts and much more. Apart from that, there would be a large panoramic sunroof, a large infotainment display that could be connected to the instrument cluster to form a single seamless unit of glass (the concept features a 27-inch screen), V2L, Connected Car Tech Features with OTA Updates and Kia’s AutoMode for Autonomous Driving functions. You might also like: What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature? Price While the official prices will be announced closer to the launch, there has been a survey that indicates that the electric SUV could retail in the vicinity of US$56,000 and US$73,000. Nevertheless, we shall update this post with the actual data once the Kia EV9 is revealed on March 15, 2023.