Kia has made an official sketch of the EV9 an all-electric SUV, which will premiere in a conceptual version on 11 November 2021. The all-electric Kia EV9 will serve as Kia’s flagship electric SUV. Kia shows the EV9 with a boxy design on its Instagram post.
Over the next few years, Kia Motors aims to acquire a major portion of the world EV market. A big electric SUV is the next move from the car manufacturer to achieve this. This will be the South Korean car major’s flagship electric SUV.
Kia EV9: electric equivalent of the Kia Telluride
First of all, it appears like the huge SUV Kia Telluride that has been on sale in the US for the last two years. A connection with the car would correspond to its numbered designation, which suggests that it would be the largest EV family member. The time also makes sense as the Los Angeles Motor Show opens next week, which is probably the place for the official presentation of the car.
Hyundai is also preparing to unwrap a new electric SUV and announced its appearance in LA. The Seven concept car, which will be displayed at the exhibition, will include a number of concept-specific aesthetic elements, but it is projected to make it to production with only minor modifications, becoming the Ioniq 7.
A total of seven BEV models would be available from Kia by 2027, the South Korean company announced in 2020. The EV6 hatchback on their E-GMP platform was first revealed. As we all know, Kia plans to release seven electric vehicles by 2027. Their titles will range from EV1 through EV9, including the present EV6, and they will be crossover SUVs.
The Seven and EV9 concept cars will utilize the new E-GMP architecture of the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG). Capable of 800V charging and allowing rear- and four-wheel-drive powertrains, this will be utilized for 23 specialized EVs from the HMG by 2023, having made its premiere with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60.
Kia EV9: expected powertrain
Kia is yet to disclose the details of the EV9 electric SUV powertrain. If Kia’s new EV9 is of the same size as the Telluride, four-wheel drive is expected to come standard on all models. The EV6 currently comes in a pair of dual-motor configurations, with power ranging from 325hp in the GT-Line S AWD to 585hp in the forthcoming GT range-topper, all of which would theoretically be suitable for a large electric SUV. In addition to being capable of 800V charging, the E-GMP architecture can accept both rear and four-wheel-drive powertrains.
The EV9 has been previewed on Kia’s Worldwide Instagram profile, implying that, unlike the Telluride, it would not be limited to the United States. However, it has yet to be verified if the future model would be launched in India.
Kia’s EV plans for India
Nevertheless, for our market, Kia has considerable EV ambitions. Hyundai and Kia will introduce six electric vehicles to India by 2024, as previously reported. For the next three years, Kia India plans to debut an EV every year, including the EV6, the e-Niro, and a low-cost variant to compete with Tata’s Nexon EV.
Hyundai, a sibling company, has also prepared a new electric SUV and confirmed its debut in LA. The new E-GMP architecture has a layout in the style of the skateboard, is built for both modularity and production level with a rear-wheel-drive configuration. All future electric vehicles for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis will be built on the E-GMP platform. By 2025, the Group plans to sell one million EVs when 11 dedicated EV models will be available.
The E-GMP architecture enters the market in 2021 with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, followed by a Kia crossover and “a series of other models.” Hyundai’s E-GMP takes advantage of electric motors’ generally smaller size to create a platform with an RWD base configuration. Compact motor size and no requirement for a conventional longitudinal driveshaft enable easy configuration for all-wheel-drive applications.
Sources: autocarindia.com