Kia’s largest-ever electric vehicle – the EV9 large SUV – is due in Australia before the end of this year, expected to be priced from approximately $100,000.
The 2024 Kia EV9 full-size electric SUV is due in Australian showrooms in the second half of this year, the car maker has confirmed.
Kia’s second dedicated electric vehicle after the smaller, in-demand EV6, the EV9 will be positioned as its flagship vehicle, occupying a similar footprint on the road to a full-size Toyota LandCruiser.
Full details are not due to be confirmed until later this year, however the EV9 is expected to be the South Korean car maker’s most expensive vehicle, with pricing estimated to top $120,000 before on-road costs in top-of-the-range guise.
Kia’s most expensive car to date in Australia is the EV6 GT electric vehicle, priced from $99,590 plus on-road costs.
It measures approximately five metres long – 200mm longer than a Kia Sorento petrol or diesel, and a similar size to the Kia Telluride SUV sold in the US – and is slated to offer six or seven seats, depending on the model grade.
Prices are said to range from $US56,000 ($AU79,600) to $US73,000 ($AU103,750) – which could translate to approximately $95,000 to $120,000 before on-road costs in Australia, after local taxes are added.
Some models are said to offer up to 467km of claimed driving range on US testing protocols – or 540km under more lenient testing in South Korea, Kia has confirmed – while electric motor outputs are rated at up to 298kW and 651Nm.
Kia’s global headquarters have previously confirmed some models will be capable of a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of five seconds – similar to a twin-turbo V6-engined Kia Stinger sports sedan – and fast charging good for 100km of driving range in six minutes.
A high-performance GT model is expected to follow at a later date, based on past announcements by Kia, with performance closer to the 430kW/740Nm EV6 GT.
The new Kia EV9 is also due to debut the company’s Level 3 ‘AutoMode’ semi-autonomous driving technology, which is claimed to allow the car to drive itself in some scenarios with human supervision, and be capable of automatic lane changes on the highway.
The 2024 Kia EV9 is due for unveiling before the end of March 2023, ahead of first Australian showroom arrivals due before the end of this year.
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