Kia EV9 is expected to sit above the EV6 that was recently launched in India
Kia has massive plans when it comes to electrification. Kia has already made it official that they will go carbon neutral by 2045. That roadmap is valid across the globe and not just in a country. Kia also aims at 100% electrification of all its products in Europe by 2035 and other international markets by 2040.
This is a massive ambition and Kia needs to start working yesterday to achieve it. Hyundai and Kia are expected to bring 6 EVs to India by the end of 2024. Kia has already launched its EV6 electric SUV crossover in limited numbers via CBU route. It comes in GT Line trim and gets an option of either RWD or AWD.
2023 Kia EV9 Electric SUV Spied
But Kia has another Ace up its sleeve, but this is not just an electric crossover. It is a large electric SUV. It is based on the Kia EV9 concept, that was first showcased at LA Auto Show 2021 alongside Hyundai’s concept based on same platform named SEVEN.
Kia might be targeting this mainly for the US market where big cars are mostly the norm. In terms of size, we can expect it to be around the same size as Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. Both these SUVs are large and are powered by IC engines.
The South Korean brand has promised a US launch in the year 2023. As the deadline is nearing, there have been multiple test mules spotted undergoing testing in South Korea. 2023 Kia EV9 Electric SUV has been spied in a parking lot, giving us a closer look at its alloys, LED headlight and tail light. The SUV is heavily camouflaged with meshes for headlights, indicators and fog lights in the cladding.
When viewed, Kia EV9 does remind us of the new-gen Lexus GX SUV in terms of presence and profile. Even though Kia EV9 was cladded, we can see the boxy silhouette that is inspired by the concept vehicle. It will radiate a rugged appeal that will appeal to pickup truck-obsessed USA.
On the inside, we can expect it to have a clean and futuristic design layout and might get similar entertainment packages from newly revealed Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan. In terms of seating, it will get 3-rows of seating like a Telluride and might promise a big luggage space when the third row is folded up.
Just like Kia’s EV9, Hyundai will also launch an electric SUV that will be similarly sized too. Hyundai’s version will be named Ioniq 7 and will sit above Ioniq 5 which is expected to launch in India by the end of 2022. Both electric SUVs will be based on the E-GMP platform on which Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are currently based.
Price & Competition
Kia hasn’t revealed the exact launch timeline yet. As of now, we don’t know what features it will get, what powertrains it will be equipped with and at what price point it will be launched. But we can expect Kia EV9 to be priced slightly lower than Ioniq 7. In terms of competition, it will compete with its cousin Hyundai Ioniq 7, China-exclusive VW ID.6, Cadillac Lyric, Mercedes-Benz EQS and the likes. Kia India hasn’t revealed if EV9 will make it to our shores yet.
Source: Electric - rushlane.com
