Kia has confirmed that the EV9, its new electric seven-seat SUV, is priced from £64,995.
It is the biggest model in the car maker's line-up and is available to order from July 6.
The EV9 is Kia's second electric car to use a dedicated platform.
A 100kW battery gives the EV9 a range of up 336 miles and has the ability to add almost 150 miles worth of range in 15 minutes.
There will be a Single Motor powertrain that produces 204PS and a Twin Motor version with 385PS. The Twin Motor has a range of 306 miles.
The Single Motor is able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds, while the more potent model will manage it in 6.0 seconds. Customers will be able to download a performance boost for the Twin Motor Car, post-purchase, using the car's over-the-air update system, which boosts torque by 100Nm and shaves 0.3 seconds off the 0-62mph sprint time.
The entry point into the EV9 line-up is the Air, priced from £64,995. Offered alongside the Single Motor powertrain, the Air is equipped with a three-screen dashboard layout (12.3-inch driver display, 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen, and 12.3-inch touchscreen), heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, blinds for the second row windows, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera system and adaptive cruise control.
Moving from Air to GT-Line provides customers with a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain. Prices start at £72,495. The GT Line benefits from sportier styling, electrically adjustable front seats with memory function and driver massage, as well as a remote smart parking system.
The range-topping GT-Line S variant starts from £75,995 and adds two sunroofs, a head-up display, 21-inch wheels and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system.
GT-Line S models are also exclusively available with a six-seat interior layout, featuring second row swivel seats. This model is available from £78,745, and replaces the three-seat middle bench with two individual ‘captain’s chair’ seats with adjustable arm rests
By 2027, Kia plans to launch 14 electric cars.
The car has a bold, boxy design that puts the focus on maximising interior space and passenger comfort. Its long wheelbase, low beltline, and completely flat floor facilitates the creation of generous space for all occupants in all three rows of seats.
With all three rows of seats occupied, the EV9 provide 571 litres of cargo space, but the second and third-row seats are folded down, the stowage space available expands to 2,320 litres.
The EV9 also allows users to power electrical equipment through its integrated charging control unit, which includes vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality.
They can use up to 3.68kW from the EV9 to charge laptops or power camping equipment, eliminating the need to worry about outlets in outdoor areas.
Much larger devices can be powered as well, such as an electric grill, which typically uses around 1,500 watts, or an outdoor projector.
Through the Kia Connect Store, customers will be able to enhance their vehicles with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology.
At the front, the EV9 features a Digital Pattern Lighting Grille and vertical headlamps. Kia says this creates its signature Digital Tiger Face and gives a futuristic look and feel.
Inside, the EV9’s Panoramic Wide Display combines a 12.3-inch cluster display, 5-inch segment display, and 12.3-inch infotainment system display.
The EV9 takes a step towards full autonomy. Key to achieving this is Kia’s Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system, which provides the EV9 with conditional Level 3 autonomous driving. Fifteen sensors, including two lidars, enable it to scan for and detect objects in a full 360-degree field of view, enabling it to detect and react to the road and other users to prevent potential collisions.
The car also features Remote Smart Parking Assist 2, which enables the EV9 to park itself without the need for driver intervention, whether in or out of the vehicle, with the driver initiating the procedure via the Kia smart key.
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Matt has been an automotive journalist for eight years. As senior staff writer he is responsible for the automotive content on Fleet News and also contributes to Automotive Management. Prior to this, Matt worked in the automotive industry for 10 years.
TimI - 31/03/2023 13:35
If only it wasn't so enormous.