Kia Releases Pricing & Specs For EV9

At 10:00 AM PST on October 16, 2023, prospects within the US will be capable of place an order for a Kia EV9, one of many first battery-electric three-row SUVs obtainable in America. The extremely anticipated new EV from Kia has generated a number of curiosity, however till now, few specifics about pricing and trim ranges have been obtainable. That data is now offered by way of a firm press launch. Let’s get proper to the pricing half, since that’s what most buyers need to find out about first:

• EV9 Gentle RWD — $54,900
• EV9 Gentle Lengthy Vary RWD — $59,200
• EV9 Wind e-AWD — $63,900
• EV9 Land e-AWD — $69,900
• EV9 GT-Line e-AWD –$73,900

The corporate says these costs don’t embrace a vacation spot cost of $1,495. As an added incentive to order early — a $750 totally refundable deposit is required — those that place a reservation by November 27, 2023 will obtain a set of goodies together with a Webasto Go Twin Voltage Transportable EV Charger, a complimentary three-year Kia Upkeep Plan, one yr of obtainable Digital Options & Providers. All prospects buying or leasing the all-new EV9 will obtain a 1,000 kWh charging credit score with Electrify America.

All Kia EV9 autos are constructed on the corporate’s 800 volt E-GMP platform that helps DC quick charging at as much as 350 kW of energy. Additionally they characteristic an obtainable Onboard Energy Generator (V2L), which may energy sure home equipment and might assist vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities. Rear Cross-Site visitors Collision-Avoidance Help and Parking Distance Warning Ahead and Reverse are included to facilitate parking maneuvers in a wide range of circumstances.

EV9 Gentle — This 7-passenger, entry-level mannequin contains a 76 kWh battery and a everlasting magnet synchronous electrical motor that produces 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. (Since this press launch is geared toward US prospects solely, we’re not going to do the conversions to metric equivalents.)

19-inch alloy wheels and 8-way energy adjustable driver and entrance passenger seat with heating and air flow are included. (Please observe that bigger wheels and tires typically scale back the obtainable vary of an electrical automobile. They might look cool, however coolness comes with a spread penalty.) Vary for the EV9 Gentle is 233 miles. Official EPA vary knowledge has not been introduced.

EV9 Gentle Lengthy Vary — Comes with a 99.8 kWh battery. On this configuration, the only rear motor is rated at 201 hp and the corporate says to count on a spread of 300 miles. Captain’s chairs for second row passengers can be found, lowering the variety of passengers it could possibly carry to 6.

EV9 Wind — Additionally fitted with the bigger 99.8 kWh battery, the Wind options twin motors with a complete of 379 hp and 443 ft-lb of torque. Digital torque vectoring is normal, as is a warmth pump and heated steering wheel. The estimated EPA vary is 280 miles.

EV9 Land — This trim stage provides consolation, comfort, type, and know-how options, beginning with a lighted grille that shows digital patterns and 20-inch wheels. Inside, there’s a heated tilt and telescoping steering wheel, full-display rear-view mirror, and 14-speaker Meridian audio system. Battery, energy, and vary specs are the identical as for the EV9 Wind. An optionally available Towing Package deal can enhance towing functionality to 5000 lb.

EV9 GT-Line — The vary topping GT-Line provides distinctive entrance and rear fascias in addition to 21-inch wheels and gloss black finishes. The inside is designed to offer a premium expertise with obtainable relaxation-mode seating. Normal Distant Good Parking Help is designed to help with distant parking in, or exiting from, sure parking spots with the driving force working the EV9 from exterior the car, in addition to good parking whereas the driving force is contained in the car. The horsepower from its twin motors is similar, however torque is bumped as much as 516 ft-lb.

Extra Kia EV9 Particulars

Courtesy of Kia

Like most press releases, it incorporates a mountain of particulars readers might or might not care about. If you’re occupied with ordering an EV9, what follows could also be helpful data to know.

The all-electric EV9 embodies the rugged but subtle look befitting a flagship SUV. The boxy, triangular design language of the EV9 emphasizes the stress of its brief overhangs and lengthy 122.0-inch wheelbase, pushed to the corners over the modular E-GMP electrical underpinnings. At 197.4 inches in size within the GT-Line (all different trims are 197.2 inches lengthy) the EV9 is barely longer than the Telluride SUV and comparable in peak (as much as 70.1 inches within the GT-Line with raised roof rails) and width (77.9 inches). Regardless of its boxy profile, the EV9 has a drag coefficient of 0.2818.

On the core of the driving force cockpit is an elliptical-shaped sprint, artfully designed to have a floating impact. A large panoramic show sits on high, combining normal twin 12.3-inch screens and a 5.0-inch HVAC display screen into one single panel for a contemporary and easy aesthetic. Beneath the screens are centrally mounted, hidden-until-lit haptic switches for key infotainment options that seem when the EV9 is turned on. Whereas this can be a futuristic contact to the inside, bodily switches for features like quantity, temperature management and fan velocity add practicality and familiarity.

The EV9 options Kia’s next-generation, ultramodern Linked Automotive Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) system. The infotainment system processes rapidly and in excessive constancy, with incessantly used Fast Controls obtainable with a swipe on the display screen. Navigation-based charging steering utilizing arrival time and distance-to-empty estimates may help quell vary anxiousness. Normal comfort options embrace Android Auto19 and Apple CarPlay20, and wi-fi telephone charger21.

Normal, superior ultrawide band-based Digital Key 222, permits prospects to make use of their suitable Apple, Google and Samsung good gadgets or an NFC-enabled good card as digital car keys to lock, unlock, and drive. The know-how is designed to permit drivers to unlock the EV9 with out holding their smartphone close to the door, and keys will be shared with family and friends over textual content messages on suitable gadgets.

The Takeaway

Deliveries of the 2024 EV9 within the US are slated to start in late 2023. Manufacturing of the EV9 in North America at Kia’s new cutting-edge manufacturing unit in West Level, Georgia is anticipated to start in 2024. The corporate says, “The EV9 is anticipated to be assembled in the US from U.S. and globally sourced components.” That implies it might be eligible for all or a part of the federal EV tax credit score/rebate, however there isn’t a official affirmation of that right now.

Whereas discussing this automobile over vegan smoothies not too long ago, the CleanTechnica crew agreed the Kia EV9 is an essential car. The corporate clearly expects it to be a giant vendor within the US. However there’s one factor that bothers us. The worth vary for the EV9 is $55,000 to $74,000. The worth vary for the Kia Telluride, which is the closest equal in a gasoline powered mannequin, is $36,000 to $46,000.

Gulp. That could be a huge hole from standard automobile to EV equal. We’ve been writing for years about how the value of batteries might be coming down, down, down as extra EVs come to market. It’s that economies of scale factor. However it’s onerous to see that course of occurring when evaluating the EV9 to the Telluride. Solely Tesla appears to have the ability to make reasonably priced EVs, not less than ones which might be on the market within the US. The EV9 could also be a compelling electrical automobile, however will it play in Peoria? That is still to be seen.