Key Highlights
- Kia readying up for EV9 India launch
- Is a flagship electric SUV
- Concept first showcased at Auto Expo 2023
Kia recently announced the arrival of a new premium electric SUV in India. The company has started testing the EV9 which it showcased as a concept last year at the Auto Expo event. Kia has commenced real-life testing of the EV9 on the Indian roads. Test mule images have started popping up online and the latest one comes sans any wrapping. Is it an indication for an early launch?
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Kia EV9 Spotted Bare-N-Bone On Indian Roads
The Kia EV9 has been spotted being tested without any heavy camouflage wrapping. While usual test mule images shows the vehicle wrapped with coverings to hide the design aspects, the EV9 spotting without any covers reveals more than just design.
This fresh sighting of the flagship electric SUV suggests it could launch earlier than the expected timeframe. Now, if we speak of the timeline it is expected to be 2024 itself. We are expecting its arrival details to be revealed soon.
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Kia EV9 Design (Exterior & Interior)
Kia EV9 design is confirmed with the fresh production-ready test mule. The EV9 has a strong and masculine road presence which is characterized by its bold fascia featuring a closed-off grille combined with a noticeable large bumper and LED headlamps.
The EV9 test mule is also seen housing roof rails which are functional and ORVMs mounted on the door panels with turn-by-turn indicators embedded. Additionally, the side profile of the EV9 is also bold and has polygon-shaped wheel arches. It can be seen sporting 21-inch alloy wheels.
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Kia EV9 Powertrain
| Kia EV9 | RWD Variant | FWD Variant |
| Motor | Single (rear axle-mounted) | Dual motor |
| Power | 215 hp | 379 hp |
| Battery | 76.1 kWh | 99.8 kWh |
| Range | 370 km per charge | 450 km per charge |
As we have been highlighting, the Kia EV9 is a powerful electric SUV which will likely be launched with RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) and AWD (All Wheel Drive) powertrain options. The former is expected to feature a rear axle-mounted electric motor, while the latter will be using a dual motor setup
The Kia EV 9 RWD variant is expected to use a 76.1 kWh battery, while the AWD variant could use a powerful 99.8 kWh battery pack. The EV9 base model (RWD) is said to offer 215 hp power and a range of up to 370 km range on a full charge, whereas, the AWD variant is said to deliver 379 hp power and around 450 km range on a full charge.
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Kia EV9 Features
At the back panel, the EV9 has the rear wiper neatly hidden beneath the spoiler along with star map connected LED tail lamps. Inside, the Kia EV9 offers a luxurious feel with the large 12.3-inch touchsceen instrument cluster with features like Android Auto and Apple Car Play.
The e-SUV will come with a 4-spoke steering wheel and offer ventilated seats with heating support. It will also offer automatic defoggers and three-zone climate control feature. The EV9 is expected to come with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) for enhanced safety with rides.
