Kia’s all-electric EV9 SUV has already made headlines thanks to its striking looks and three row seating practicality.
Now, the Korean manufacturer has revealed more about the EV drivetrain. Available with either rear- or all-wheel drive, both versions are fitted with a 99.8kWh battery, featuring Kia’s fourth-generation battery technology.
The rear-wheel drive version has a 150kW motor, which has 350 Nm of torque, a top speed of 115mph, with 0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds and a WLTP range of 336 miles.
More interesting is the fact that the EV9 is capable of 800-volt ultra-fast charging. As such, just 15 minutes of charging results in up to 150 miles of all-electric driving range for the RWD version and up to 136 miles for the AWD version.
On top of the range and charging, the EV9 is capable of bi-directional charging, enabling advanced future technologies as Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), Vehicle-to-Building/Vehicle-to-Home (V2B/V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G). V2L, first introduced with the Kia EV6 and standard with the EV9, means customers can power 220V appliances using their EV9 battery by plugging the cable into the EV charging port. V2B and V2H refer to the vehicle’s ability to power a building or the customer’s home. V2G means the vehicle can transfer energy directly back to the grid, by storing cheap electricity at off-peak hours and transferring it back during periods of peak demand.
Six- or seven-seater versions of the EV9 will be available, with the six-seat version fitted with swivelling seats, that turn through a 180-degree function. This means, that when the car is stopped, second-row passengers can turn their seats to face the third row and directly interact with each other. Although, we got a chance to try this at the reveal, and found legroom was compromised.
Enjoy Mode, meanwhile, allows second-row passengers to recline when the first-row passengers are relaxing, as well, ensuring maximum comfort for all passengers on the journey. Each relaxation seat is equipped with an additional leg rest, and with full ventilation both on the front and the rear, to maximise the driving and travelling
experience.
