High-performance large electric SUV announced two years ahead of its release
Porsche, BMW, Polestar and Tesla better watch their backs because Kia has just confirmed it will enter the high-performance large electric SUV market in 2025 with a halo GT version of its freshly-revealed Kia EV9.
The revelation was made during the Kia EV9’s global debut by the Korean car-maker’s global president and CEO, Ho Sung Song, who said Kia was aware of the growing demand for high-performance EVs and that the popularity of the existing EV6 GT hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“Given the success of Kia EV6 GT, we are happy to announce that we are currently developing [a] high-performance version of EV9 aimed to redefine what performance means in an electric SUV,” he said.
“We plan to release the GT version of EV9 in early 2025.”
Neither Song nor any of the other executives present for the EV9’s debut would be drawn into commenting any further on what will comfortably become the most expensive – and probably most powerful – Kia model to date.
Local pricing details of the mainstream EV9 variants are still months away from being announced, but the bookend figures of the smaller Kia EV6 – $72,590-$99,590 – suggest the core line-up will start somewhere in the $80,000-90,000 range, meaning a Euro-slaying GT version could quite feasibly top $150K or more.
We already know the dual-motor variants of the seven-seat EV9 will be good for up to 283kW/700Nm when fitted with an optional Boost function – considerably more than the dual-motor EV6 GT-Line (239kW/605Nm) – and so outputs north of the EV6 GT’s own 430kW/740Nm are very much on the cards.
Exactly how much more grunt the EV9 GT ends up bringing remains to be seen, but odds are the inevitable dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain will be accompanied by the same 99.8kWh battery pack as the Long Range variants.
The effective driving range will of course slip a bit compared to the AWD Long Range system outlined in our coverage of the EV9’s debut, but if the EV6 GT is anything to go by the deficit won’t be all that much.
Don’t expect the flagship GT’s design to vary too much from that of the EV9 GT-Line shown in most of the press images so far, but more aggressive wheels, an upgraded braking package and subtle aero tweaks would be par for the course.
It’s unclear exactly how fast the EV9 GT will be, but odds are it will be able to hold its own against large electric SUVs like the BMW iX, Porsche’s upcoming SUV flagship, the Polestar 3 and the (non-Plaid) Tesla Model X with a sub-4.0sec 0-100km/h acceleration time.
We doubt the bigger and heavier SUV will scalp the EV6 GT – which is claimed to hit 100km/h in 3.5sec – as the Kia brand’s all-out performance hero, but it could generate more power and/or torque and give the sleeker crossover a run for its money.
With Hyundai applying the finishing touches to the IONIQ 5 N and Genesis readying a batch of hi-po EVs, we wouldn’t be surprised if the EV6 and more specifically the EV6 GT was upgraded around the time of the EV9 GT’s release to ensure it remains the athlete of the Korean brand’s model range.
But even with all this performance on tap, the EV9 GT will almost certainly undercut its aforementioned rivals on price, even if it sets a new record for a Kia model.
The standard EV9’s mechanical make-up and positioning at the top of the Kia portfolio prompted concerns by international media at its global debut – before the EV9 GT announcement – that Kia was gradually pushing upmarket with its EVs and might end up leaving some customers behind.
Kia’s global brand and CX Division chief Charles Ryu responded by stating Kia was still a mainstream car-maker with no aspirations to become a “premium-only or luxury-only brand”.
“Our brand will still be positioned to appeal a wide audience in the future,” he said.
“We will provide a full range of EV product across all segments from smaller to high-end, so we’ll never leave our existing customers behind.
“Consequently, our aim is to consistently deliver the most inspiring experiences to our customers regardless of segment, through all our product.”
Kia plans to offer 15 dedicated EVs globally by 2027 (the next one will be the Sportage-sized Kia EV5) and to be carbon neutral across its entire business by 2045.
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Keyword: Kia EV9 GT confirmed for 2025