The market launch of the Kia EV9 in the United States is just a few months from now, which prompted the South Korean manufacturer to reveal some additional details.
The three-row, all-electric SUV is already on sale in South Korea and exceeded 1,000 sales a month in June and July. In the US, the EV9 is expected to enter the market during the fourth quarter of 2023.
Kia says that soon it will launch the EV9's reservation program, but its details and pricing are not yet announced.
What we do know is that the 2024 Kia EV9 will initially be available in four trim levels (Light, Wind, Land, and GT-Line), with two battery packs (76.1 or 99.8 kilowatt-hours), and rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive configurations. At a later point (2025), a sporty EV9 GT trim will follow.
The 76.1 kWh battery will be offered only with a single-motor, rear-wheel drive powertrain, while the 99.8 kWh will be available with either a rear-wheel drive or dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain.
2024 Kia EV9:
- Trim levles: Light, Wind, Land, and GT-Line
- Batteries (Kia's fourth-generation battery, 800 V): 76.1 kWh or 99.8 kWh
- Powertrain configurations:
RWD (76.1 kWh): 160 kW (215 hp)
RWD (99.8 kWh): 150 kW (201 hp)
AWD (99.8 kWh): 283 kW (379 hp) and up to 516 lb.-ft. of torque - Wheels: 19-inch wheels standard (20-inch optional) on base trims, 20-inch wheels standard on upper trims and 21-inch on GT-Line
- Platform: E-GMP
The Kia EV9 with a 99.8-kWh battery and RWD is expected to have the longest range out of the three setups - up to 300 miles, according to manufacturer's estimations (EPA numbers are not yet available). A coefficient of drag of 0.28 helps a lot.
On the other hand, the versions with two traction motors will be the quickest. Kia hints at 0-60 miles per hour time of less than five seconds (Boost mode). The company explains that during AMCI-certified testing with a pre-production vehicle in August 2023, 4.5 seconds was achieved with 1-foot rollout.
It's important to note that the AWD version will have up to 5,000 lbs. of towing capacity. Ground clearance on the other hand is up to 7.8 inches.
The strong side of the E-GMP's battery packs is fast charging and the Kia EV9 probably will not be an exception. According to the manufacturer, charging from 10 to 80 state-of-charge should take no more than 25 minutes, at up to 236 kW (as tested at an Electrify America's 350 kW, 800 V charger). Of course, the time might be longer due to various factors, especially if the charger is not supporting higher voltage.
In terms of AC charging, the SUV will be equipped with an 11-kilowatt onboard charger.
One of the most interesting things about the Kia EV9 launch in the US will be a local assembly of the vehicle in West Point, Georgia, beginning in 2024. It's the first all-electric Kia to be locally produced in the country, which opens the door to be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Kia intends to invest more than $200 million at the plant in Georgia to produce electric vehicles.
