Kia’s all-electric 2024 EV9 could boast range of over 500 km

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I’m convinced Kia’s design and engineering team for its EVs are constantly plugged into Level 3 superchargers. I mean, there’s the Kia EV6 GT that rocks 576 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque, the exclamation point on the company’s existing EV6 lineup. There’s the cheerful all-new Kia Niro EV. There’s the small-box Soul EV with plenty of character. The Sportage and Sorento are available as plug-in hybrids, too. And now, there’s the likely-to-be-a-game-changer flagship, the 2024 Kia EV9.

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Since we already dissected the design when Kia revealed the EV9’s exterior two weeks ago, here we’re taking a deep dive into the EV9’s just-revealed specs and tech, and it starts with one of the most important metrics: battery range. Kia’s targeting over 500 kilometres of all-electric range in the EV9, with projections of about 541 km of battery under WLTP testing. That goes along with an 800-kw charging capability that Kia says can recharge 239 km of range in only 15 minutes. The Rear Wheel Drive Standard model sees a 76.1-kWh battery, while a larger 99.8-kWh battery sits underneath the RWD Long Range and All Wheel Drive trims.

The RWD Long Range model sports 201 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque; while the Standard RWD model sees that bumped up to 214 horsepower. The AWD variant is, perhaps obviously, equipped with two electric motors, producing a total 379 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque.

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What’s that? You want more? Fine. You can buy (that’s right, buy, via the Kia Connect Store) access to activate the Boost button, giving you 516 lb-ft of torque if you feel the need to do the zero-to-100-km/h sprint in 5.3 seconds. Vehicle power aside, the EV9 will also have a handy Vehicle-to-Load function that lets it provide 3.68 kW of power for small devices.

On the “we’re certainly not ready for it, but that’s not stopping us” side, Kia says the EV9 comes closer to full autonomous driving than ever. Its Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system provides the EV9 with conditional Level 3 autonomous driving. How? Through an army of 15 sensors, including two lidars.

Kia says that “by providing intelligent, proactive, real-time assistance across a wide range of conditions, Kia’s Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system will meet the criteria required to deliver Level 3 autonomy in certain areas of the world. The car will be capable of conditional driving automation where conditions permit, enabling the driver to temporarily take a break from controlling the vehicle.” (A quick reminder: Please pull over, get out, and stop driving if you really need a break!) Kia’s specifically planning to offer HDP in the EV9 GT-Line model.

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Back to the Kia Connect Store for a moment: it’s described as a way to “keep your EV9 constantly updated by upgrading the SUV’s digital features and services without any need to take the vehicle to a dealership.” Yes, like Tesla’s over-the-air (OTA) updates, it lets you change up your vehicle via changes to the car’s software. The “Digital Pattern Lighting Grille,” for example, can be upgraded with the addition of the “Lighting Pattern” feature.

Also available are Remote Smart Parking Assist 2; as well as content-streaming for occupants to enjoy through the vehicle’s Audio Visual, Navigation, and Telematics (AVNT) system. In short, Over The Air updates show up in the EV9 in a big way. (Does that content-streaming one mean you’ll be able to Kia and chill? Look out, Netflix!)

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Inside, you can opt for seven- or six-seater configurations, with up to four second-row seat options: those include three-wide bench seats; basic twin chairs; relaxation-focused seating; and swivel-type independent seats. Opt for the second-row “relaxation-type” seats – the standard choice up front – and the EV9 will allow both first- and second-row occupants the option to recline together (#TeamNapping!) while the vehicle charges. The swivel-seat option lets the second-row seats swivel 180 degrees to enable conversations with those often-neglected people in the third row.

Up front, a panoramic wide display blends a 12.3-inch cluster display, a 5-inch segment display, and a 12.3-inch infotainment system display. Hidden-type touch buttons provide a start-stop function along with infotainment system control, as well as HVAC inputs. Kia’s now calling the infotainment system a Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (stylized “ccNC”) and says the tech will let you pull up a variety of key information quickly.

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Active safety features include Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA); Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA); Lane Keeping Assist (LKA); and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA). The Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC) and Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2) also come standard. 

This is not quite tech-relevant, but still kinda cool: the Kia EV9 is the company’s first model to implement its three-step Design Sustainability Strategy, created to eliminate the use of leather and increase the use of bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane, and natural oils. Kia is aiming to boost the use of recycled plastics in its vehicles to 20 per cent by 2030.

The EV9 just made its physical debut at the Seoul Mobility Show 2023; but we’ll see it in person at the 2023 New York International Auto Show in early April.