Kia has put popular off-roaders like the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Jeep Grand Cherokee on notice, with its own large SUV due to be launched in 2023.
The difference however, is that Kia isn’t choosing to go with diesel or even petrol power, but will instead serve up the EV9 with an all-electric powertrain.
The production version of the EV9 is still a few years away, but it could already preview the future of the large off-road SUV, so here is everything you can expect from Kia’s new flagship model.
Platform
The Kia EV9 will be built on Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), and if that seems familiar, that’s because it’s the same architecture underpinning the just-launched EV6.
In fact, the E-GMP underpinnings can be found on nearly all of Hyundai and Kia’s new-wave of electric cars, with no less than 23 models earmarked to be built using the tech.
Already released models include the aforementioned EV6, as well as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60, while future models extend to the Ioniq 6, Ioniq 7, EV4 and EV9.
Crucially, this platform is modular, and can expanded or shrunk to suit whatever segment the brand desires, and if current iterations are any indication, the EV9 should feature a multi-link rear suspension setup.
Powertrain
Given the EV9 is still years away, details on the powertrain are yet to be fully locked in, but we can make some educated guesses here.
For starters, the top-spec (for now) EV6 GT-Line makes use of a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive set-up that produces 239kW/605Nm.
A full-fat GT variant of the EV6 is also due to launch in Australia next year, and will up the ante to 430kW/740Nm.
We know either powertrain will fit in the E-GMP-sharing EV9, and would give it enough grunt to match the likes of the diesel-powered Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series (227kW/700Nm) and V8-powered Nissan Patrol (298kW/560Nm).
The EV9 is also said to be able to sprint from 0-100km/h in around five seconds, making it much quicker off the line than its perceived rivals.
But engine outputs aren’t the only thing off-road SUV buyers are after, and if you are going to buy an off-road SUV to get off the beaten path, you want to know it has the driving range to get your there and back to a charger.
Kia is yet to tip its hand on the battery size of the EV9, but we do know the brand is targeting a 540km range on a single charge.
Furthermore, fast-charging capabilities should top up 100km in around six minutes to assuage range anxiety.
Positioning
It’s already clear the EV9 will sit atop Kia’s electric car range, but given its size, it could very well be the new top-dog in the South Korean brand’s stable.
The EV9’s technological credentials are clear, but even its sizing indicates it will be bigger than even the Sorento seven-seater.
To be clear, the production car’s dimensions are yet to be confirmed, but we do know the Concept EV9 measures 4930mm long, 2055mm wide, 1790mm tall and has a 3100mm wheelbase – making it bigger in every measure than its Sorento stablemate, but not quite as long as the Carnival people mover.
If the production version sticks closely to these dimensions however, it will size up almost exactly with the Toyota LC300 (4980mm long, 1980mm wide, 1950mm tall and with a 2850mm wheelbase) and Nissan Patrol (5175mm long, 1995mm wide, 1955mm tall and with a 3075mm wheelbase).
Not only will the EV9 be positioned above the Sorento seven-seat in size, but it will also likely sit above it in price.
The 2022 Kia Sorento tops out at $80,330 before on-road costs for the GT-Line PHEV variant, so expect EV9 could nudge a little closer to $100,000 when it touches down in Australia.
Release date
Kia Australia is remaining tight-lipped on the model’s local chances however, but given the sell-out success of the EV6 and the rapidly-expanding electric car market, the chances of the EV9 coming Down Under look pretty good.
Either way, the brand will have some time to build a business case as the EV9 is due to launch in European markets in 2023, meaning an Australian arrival could be as early as 2024.
And Kia will need that time to trim down some of the more out-there elements of the Concept EV9 to make it production ready.
The freestyle doors will likely make way for more traditional components, and you can probably say goodbye to the concept’s the quirky steering wheel and futuristic wheels.
The widescreen interior display is something we can see make it to production form, while much of the exterior styling could also carryover – if the attention-grabbing EV6 is anything to go by.
Keyword: Kia's electric Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol rival: Powertrain, positioning, platform and everything else we know so far about the EV9