The full-electric Kia EV9, a rival for the likes of the Toyota Kluger and Nissan Pathfinder, has been envisioned in a new render by NY Mammoth.
The EV9 rendering brings styling influences from the EV6 along with a lot of the same design cues seen on the EV9 concept car.
Features such as the barn-door style side doors and electric side mirrors might not make production, however the solar roof could become a reality.
The Kia EV9 rendering. Credit: NY Mammoth
Kia Australia’s general manager of product planning, Roland Rivero, told Chasing Cars earlier this year that the boxy design of the EV9 clay model is not far off the original concept.
“I’ve seen the clay model, and if you’ve seen the concept it isn’t far off from the clay production. It’s a very boxy design … not soft at all,” Rivero said.
Concept versus reality: what’s in store for the EV9 SUV?
The Kia EV9 during testing this year
While the concept claimed around 500km of range, the production version could use the 77.4kWh battery pack used in the smaller EV6, bringing an approximate range of roughly 425km.
However, with a larger body and frame means that a larger battery pack could be fitted to the production Kia EV9 – exact figures for this are yet to be revealed.
Also likely for the upcoming EV9 is the use of dual electric motors (situated on each axle) to provide around 239kW/605Nm – similar outputs to the current Kia EV6 GT-Line.
The Kia EV9 has been rendered by other outlets
Standard specifications could include a futuristic oblong steering wheel, a large central screen that forms with a digital driver’s display, the aforementioned solar roof and plenty of TRON-like ambient lighting in the cabin.
How about the price?
It’s really too early to say, however the Kia EV9 could fetch over $100,000 when it launches here in Australia.
Expect the production car to be close to the concept
Kia is expected to breach the $100,000 mark when it introduces the EV6 GT in Australia – a very sporty version of the existing EV6 midsize SUV, but making use of a 430kW/740Nm tune of the GT-Line’s dual-motor setup.
With a large battery pack and complex technologies, Kia’s first electric SUV could be an expensive proposition.
Whether an AMG-rivalling EV9 GT with 430kW is released in future is not known.
The Kia EV6 GT coming next year
What will be the EV9’s main competitors?
The Kia EV9 is likely to target other fully-electric SUVs such as the ones built by manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and even Genesis.
The BMW iX, the upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and even the upcoming series of electric Land Rovers may sit in a similar price bracket as the Kia EV9.
On the combustion front, the EV9 could go up against vehicles such as the Toyota Kluger and the Nissan Pathfinder.