The large electric SUV is planned for an introduction in the first half of the year.
It will feature the Level 3 Highway Driving Pilot that was launched with the Genesis G90.
Kia says to expect a price of around $50,000 in the United States.
Buyers looking for a large three-row electric vehicle don’t have a lot of choices currently, but this will change in 2023, notably because of the launch of the Kia EV9.
This future vehicle was presented at the end of 2021 in concept form, but the company says that it will be officially launched in the first half of the year.
Touted as an electric alternative to the brand’s own Telluride, the EV9 will actually be smaller than its gasoline counterpart.
This difference in size might not affect the interior space, however, since the EV9 will benefit from a longer wheelbase due to its use of the E-GMP platform, first seen under the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Since it will use this platform, the EV9 will be one of the few electric vehicles that use an 800-volt battery architecture which allows faster charging rates than the usual 400-volt architectures.
Indeed, Kia hinted at the SUV’s 350 kW charging capacity which could make it possible to boost the battery from 10% to 80% in around 20 to 30 minutes.
According to the automaker, a full battery should allow the EV9 to drive up to 300 miles (483 kilometres) following EPA guidelines.
In addition to being the first electric three-row SUV from Kia, the EV9 will be its first vehicle to include level 3 driver assistance technologies.
Unveiled during the launch of the new Genesis G90, this system called Highway Driving Pilot will allow the vehicle to drive itself around in almost every situation, requiring driver intervention only to avoid potential accidents.
Despite the EV market being very popular and the EV9 being a technologically advanced vehicle, Kia says to expect a base price of around $50,000 in the United States, which is similar to a top-of-the-line Telluride and significantly less expensive than the smaller Tesla Model Y, which currently starts at $68,990 in seven-seater configuration.
