Kia Releases Pricing & Specs For EV9

At 10:00 AM PST on October 16, 2023, prospects within the US will be capable of place an order for a Kia EV9, one of many first battery-electric three-row SUVs out there in America. The extremely anticipated new EV from Kia has generated a number of curiosity, however till now, few specifics about pricing and trim ranges have been out there. That info is now offered through a firm press launch. Let’s get proper to the pricing half, since that’s what most customers wish to learn about first:

• EV9 Mild RWD — $54,900
• EV9 Mild Lengthy Vary RWD — $59,200
• EV9 Wind e-AWD — $63,900
• EV9 Land e-AWD — $69,900
• EV9 GT-Line e-AWD –$73,900

The corporate says these costs don’t embody a vacation spot cost of $1,495. As an added incentive to order early — a $750 absolutely refundable deposit is required — those that place a reservation by November 27, 2023 will obtain a group of goodies together with a Webasto Go Twin Voltage Transportable EV Charger, a complimentary three-year Kia Upkeep Plan, one 12 months of obtainable Digital Options & Providers. All prospects buying or leasing the all-new EV9 will obtain a 1,000 kWh charging credit score with Electrify America.

All Kia EV9 automobiles are constructed on the corporate’s 800 volt E-GMP platform that helps DC quick charging at as much as 350 kW of energy. In addition they characteristic an out there Onboard Energy Generator (V2L), which might energy sure home equipment and may help vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities. Rear Cross-Visitors Collision-Avoidance Help and Parking Distance Warning Ahead and Reverse are included to facilitate parking maneuvers in quite a lot of circumstances.

EV9 Mild — This 7-passenger, entry-level mannequin includes a 76 kWh battery and a everlasting magnet synchronous electrical motor that produces 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. (Since this press launch is geared toward US prospects solely, we aren’t going to do the conversions to metric equivalents.)

19-inch alloy wheels and 8-way energy adjustable driver and entrance passenger seat with heating and air flow are included. (Please notice that bigger wheels and tires usually cut back the out there vary of an electrical automotive. They could look cool, however coolness comes with a variety penalty.) Vary for the EV9 Mild is 233 miles. Official EPA vary information has not been introduced.

EV9 Mild Lengthy Vary — Comes with a 99.8 kWh battery. On this configuration, the only rear motor is rated at 201 hp and the corporate says to count on a variety of 300 miles. Captain’s chairs for second row passengers can be found, decreasing the variety of passengers it may possibly carry to 6.

EV9 Wind — Additionally fitted with the bigger 99.8 kWh battery, the Wind options twin motors with a complete of 379 hp and 443 ft-lb of torque. Digital torque vectoring is commonplace, as is a warmth pump and heated steering wheel. The estimated EPA vary is 280 miles.

EV9 Land — This trim degree provides consolation, comfort, type, and expertise options, beginning with a lighted grille that shows digital patterns and 20-inch wheels. Inside, there’s a heated tilt and telescoping steering wheel, full-display rear-view mirror, and 14-speaker Meridian audio system. Battery, energy, and vary specs are the identical as for the EV9 Wind. An optionally available Towing Package deal can enhance towing functionality to 5000 lb.

EV9 GT-Line — The vary topping GT-Line provides distinctive entrance and rear fascias in addition to 21-inch wheels and gloss black finishes. The inside is designed to supply a premium expertise with out there relaxation-mode seating. Customary Distant Sensible Parking Help is designed to help with distant parking in, or exiting from, sure parking spots with the motive force working the EV9 from outdoors the car, in addition to sensible parking whereas the motive force is contained in the car. The horsepower from its twin motors is similar, however torque is bumped as much as 516 ft-lb.

Extra Kia EV9 Particulars

Courtesy of Kia

Like most press releases, it comprises a mountain of particulars readers might or might not care about. If you’re excited about ordering an EV9, what follows could also be helpful info to know.

The all-electric EV9 embodies the rugged but subtle look befitting a flagship SUV. The boxy, triangular design language of the EV9 emphasizes the strain of its brief overhangs and lengthy 122.0-inch wheelbase, pushed to the corners over the modular E-GMP electrical underpinnings. At 197.4 inches in size within the GT-Line (all different trims are 197.2 inches lengthy) the EV9 is barely longer than the Telluride SUV and comparable in top (as much as 70.1 inches within the GT-Line with raised roof rails) and width (77.9 inches). Regardless of its boxy profile, the EV9 has a drag coefficient of 0.2818.

On the core of the motive force cockpit is an elliptical-shaped sprint, artfully designed to have a floating impact. A large panoramic show sits on prime, combining commonplace twin 12.3-inch screens and a 5.0-inch HVAC display screen into one single panel for a contemporary and easy aesthetic. Beneath the screens are centrally mounted, hidden-until-lit haptic switches for key infotainment options that seem when the EV9 is turned on. Whereas it is a futuristic contact to the inside, bodily switches for features like quantity, temperature management and fan velocity add practicality and familiarity.

The EV9 options Kia’s next-generation, ultramodern Related Automotive Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) system. The infotainment system processes shortly and in excessive constancy, with incessantly used Fast Controls out there with a swipe on the display screen. Navigation-based charging steerage utilizing arrival time and distance-to-empty estimates might help quell vary anxiousness. Customary comfort options embody Android Auto19 and Apple CarPlay20, and wi-fi cellphone charger21.

Customary, superior ultrawide band-based Digital Key 222, permits prospects to make use of their appropriate Apple, Google and Samsung sensible units or an NFC-enabled sensible card as digital car keys to lock, unlock, and drive. The expertise is designed to permit drivers to unlock the EV9 with out holding their smartphone close to the door, and keys could be shared with family and friends over textual content messages on appropriate units.

The Takeaway

Deliveries of the 2024 EV9 within the US are slated to start in late 2023. Manufacturing of the EV9 in North America at Kia’s new cutting-edge manufacturing unit in West Level, Georgia is predicted to start in 2024. The corporate says, “The EV9 is predicted to be assembled in the USA from U.S. and globally sourced components.” That implies it could be eligible for all or a part of the federal EV tax credit score/rebate, however there isn’t a official affirmation of that presently.

Whereas discussing this automotive over vegan smoothies lately, the CleanTechnica crew agreed the Kia EV9 is an vital vehicle. The corporate clearly expects it to be a giant vendor within the US. However there’s one factor that bothers us. The worth vary for the EV9 is $55,000 to $74,000. The worth vary for the Kia Telluride, which is the closest equal in a gasoline powered mannequin, is $36,000 to $46,000.

Gulp. That may be a massive hole from typical automotive to EV equal. We’ve got been writing for years about how the worth of batteries will probably be coming down, down, down as extra EVs come to market. It’s that economies of scale factor. However it’s laborious to see that course of occurring when evaluating the EV9 to the Telluride. Solely Tesla appears to have the ability to make reasonably priced EVs, not less than ones which are on the market within the US. The EV9 could also be a compelling electrical automotive, however will it play in Peoria? That is still to be seen.