Kia had about as encouraging of a debut as they could have hoped for the new Kia EV9. The three-row family hauler has proven itself a Telluride for the EV space, taking home prestigious World Car of the Year and North American Utility Vehicle of the Year awards. And if you’re keeping tabs on lease deals, you can find an EV9 for less per month than an equivalent Telluride.
As with any EV, one key consideration for a Kia EV9 buyer is its range. That will depend on which Kia EV9 you get and how you drive it.
How much EPA range does the Kia EV9 have?
Official EPA range estimates differ based on the Kia EV9 trim level. The EV9’s top range is 304 miles for the Long Range RWD trim. The shortest range is the Standard Range RWD trim with the smaller battery pack, rated for 230 miles. The Long Range AWD Kia EV9 has a 280-mile EPA range. That range dips to 270 miles for the top-spec GT-Line AWD trim.
The Kia EV9 will deliver less effective range with regular charging
Manufacturers typically recommend only charging to 80 percent under normal conditions; it’s better for battery health and takes the car far longer to charge past 80 percent. Factoring in an 80 percent charge would yield an effective range of 243 miles for the Long Range RWD trim, 184 miles for the Standard Range RWD, 225 miles for the Long Range AWD and 216 miles for the GT-Line AWD.
How you drive a Kia EV9 will affect the real-life range
Combustion cars are more efficient in highway driving. Electric vehicles tend to fare better in city driving, where they can cut power while idling and use regenerative braking. In Car and Driver’s 75 mph highwayrange testing, the GT-Line AWD trim earned 240 miles, about 30 miles less than the EPA estimate. However, in Edmunds testing with a mix of conditions, the Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD exceeded its EPA range expectations, earning an estimated 306 miles on a full charge.
Cold weather will diminish the Kia EV9’s EV range
The Kia EV9 has features like a heat pump and manually set battery preconditioning to help warm the battery efficiently in cold conditions. Swedish testers at CarExplorers noted a 15% range loss when the dual-motor EV9 was tested in temperatures ranging from 23ºF to 32ºF.
How much range does the Kia EV9 have compared to the Rivian R1S?
Hyundai has its version of the EV9 coming. Toyota is also working on a new three-row electric crossover. But, for now, the closest competitor to the Kia EV9 is the Rivian R1S. With the Dual Max AWD, the R1S can deliver significantly more range than the EV9, up to 410 miles. However, the Kia EV9 is much cheaper. At the only point where the EV9 and Rivian R1S are about on par for price, the EV9 GT-Line AWD trim and the base Dual Standard AWD Rivian R1S, the two SUVs offer the same 270 miles of range.
