Big Boy Kia EV9 Eletric SUV Has a GT Performance Model Coming: Report

A Kia EV9 GT model could end up with more than 600 horsepower in a comfortable three-row SUV.

byLewin Day|
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The Kia EV9 has barely had a minute to breathe since its debut this year. First, we saw the three-row EV's exterior, then this week we learned more about what's under the sheet metal. Not content to simply build a capable family hauler, though, reports suggest the Korean automaker will also produce a riotous sporting model as well.

The quickest Kia EV9 officially announced thus far will feature a 380-hp dual motor setup. That's expected to be good for a 5.3-second zero to 60 mph time. As reported by CarBuzz, though, an even hotter model is in the works. "Building on the success of the Kia EV6 GT, we are happy to announce that we are currently developing a high-performance version of the EV9, " Kia's president and CEO, Ho Sung Song, told the media.

According to Song, the GT version of the EV9 should launch in early 2025. An EV9 GT would sit above the GT-Line model already announced, with more power and likely some hit to efficiency as a result. Where the EV9 was announced with over 300 miles of range in its longest-range configuration, expect a somewhat lower figure from the EV9 GT.

A good point of comparison would be the existing EV6 GT. The compact crossover boasts a mighty 576 hp dual-motor drivetrain capable of rushing it to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Hilariously, it also features two drift modes for the electric larrikins out there. Meanwhile, there's word that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N could deliver up to 620 hp. Both of these vehicles are built on the same basic E-GMP platform that also underpins the Kia EV9.

The Ioniq 5 N or EV6 GT drivetrains could get dropped into the EV9, or Kia could even cook up something more powerful for the special EV9. Either way, somewhere in the realm of 600 hp would be fitting for the EV9 GT. That would bring it closer to the base trim of the Tesla Model X, which delivers 670 hp, albeit leaving it out of contention with the dominating Plaid models. Regardless, depending on weight and other factors, the EV9 GT could potentially deliver a sprint to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds with 600-ish horsepower under the right foot.

It's nice to know that Kia, along with its parent company Hyundai, is leaning hard into the world of electric performance. While naysayers decry electric cars for their lack of joie de vivre, the Korean power couple don't hesitate to build compelling and exciting EVs. More power will go a long way to making Kia's gorgeous electric models drive as hard as they look.

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