2024 Kia EV9 Electric SUV Will Have 300+ Miles of Range, Level 3 Self-Driving Tech
The electric Telluride has arrived.
The Kia Telluride is one of the hottest SUVs on the market, but its drivetrain is far from advanced. Think of the new three-row EV9 as its electric successor. Kia expects it to get north of 300 miles of range, hit 60 mph as quick as 5.3 seconds, and regain around 150 miles of range in about 15 minutes on a fast-charger. It also looks the part of a futuristic electric family machine.
The EV9 is the third electric vehicle in Kia's lineup, following the Niro Electric and the EV6. Like vehicles from its competitors, it will be available with a few battery sizes and drivetrain configurations. The base car has a single electric motor on the rear axle producing 150 kilowatts, or 201 horsepower. It's not much power for a vehicle its size, and it's unclear if that version will be offered in the U.S., but when combined with the larger 99.8-kWh battery, you'll get the 300+ miles of range Kia estimates. The base battery is A 76.1-kWh, and the dual-motor drivetrain delivers 283 kW (380 hp.) The automaker did not specify the estimated range for more powerful/smaller battery trims.
As has become the theme with new Hyundais and Kias, the EV9 has a forward-looking design ethos with a unique interior and exterior. It may be a little much for some, but even those who don't appreciate its outward aesthetics might like what they find looking inward. The EV9 is available with second-row swivel seats, although it's unclear if they will make it to the United States. The seats allow second-row passengers now only to spin around and chat with people in the third row, but they also recline to help pass the time during long charging stops.
The EV9 pictured is the international model. The vehicle will not be equipped with those fancy new camera mirrors when it arrives in the United States. It will have 15 sensors, including two Lidars to support Level 3 autonomous driving capability, however. It's still unclear whether that will be enabled in the U.S., though. The car's formal American reveal will take place at the New York auto show in April, so we'll learn more about what we're getting in our market and what the EPA thinks of the claimed range figures.
Beyond interior tech and camera mirrors, the EV9 has bidirectional charging, similar to other EVs. Kia calls it "Vehicle-to-Load," but you and I know it as a "portable battery." In a nutshell, you can use energy from the car's battery to power things like electronics and camping equipment. Up to 3.68 kW of power can be dispensed from the vehicle, which is a lot. With a good charge, the Kia could theoretically support that output for a few hours, although exact data on how it can be used isn't available yet.
The aforementioned sensors also support a slew of safety tech—more acronyms than you care to hear. In a nutshell, the car can center itself in a lane on the highway, brake automatically in a slew of potentially hazardous situations, and help you park. The EV9 is also equipped with the second generation of the automaker's "Remote Smart Parking Assist." It allows drivers to park their cars autonomously with the key fob when they are outside of the vehicle. This helps Kia owners trap other drivers of lesser vehicles inside their cars, giving them an evolutionary advantage. Their children will be stronger as a result, and they will be able to buy more Kias.
Many of the features above will be able to be updated over the air. More information about the EV9, including its price and availability are coming later, presumably in April at the New York auto show.
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