Following in the footsteps of the all-electric EV6 midsize SUV, Kia is looking to introduce a new flagship electric vehicle in the form of the larger EV9 SUV.
According to the South Korean brand, the EV9 has entered the final stage of development, which includes “gruelling” testing across various tracks, roads, and surfaces.
Kia is entering the final stages of testing for its EV9 SUV
This final phase signifies the end of a 44-month development process where the vehicle has been pushed to its limits at Kia’s Namyang R&D centre in South Korea.
From one extreme to another, the harsh cobbled streets through Belgium were also used to tune the big EV’s ride for maximum comfort, according to the South Korean brand.
For the most intense part of the EV’s testing program, the EV9 was subjected to hill climbing, rough-track four-wheel driving, and deep-water wading.
The EV9 has been subjected to a range of gruelling testing
The EV9 will be built on Hyundai’s E-GMP architecture, shared with the upcoming Ioniq 7. This means that the big Kia should be able to hit 100km/h in around five seconds.
Details of the EV9’s powertrain and battery are scarce, but it’s expected that it will feature a driving range of up to 500km.
Kia has confirmed that the EV9 will make its public debut in the first quarter of next year, with leaked information suggesting that production will kick off in April.