Kia Ireland has launched its all-electric EV9 SUV with a range of up to 563kms, writes Trish Whelan. It is the company’s first three-row electric flagship SUV available as a six or seven-seater.
The exterior’s long, geometrically styled profile with clean lines also embraces the toughness of an SUV.
This is a large vehicle with an overall length of 5,015mm, a wheelbase of 3,100mm, and overall height of 1,750mm. Minimum ground clearance is 177mm.
The spacious interior continues the minimalist style with an easy-to-use layout. The boxy (but very stylish!) SUV styling and long wheelbase (and flat floor) allow for more interior room with premium lounge-style comfort in all three rows of seats. Second-row seats have a swivel function and can be turned around to face the third row and directly interact with those seated behind. In this layout, the long sliding tray extending from the centre console, acts as a table in between the seats.
Physical buttons more up and down for key infotainment functions. The dash consists of a curved 12.3-inch cluster in front of the driver, a 12.3-inch curved infotainment display screen with navigation. You also get a very informative Head-Up Display with route direction graphics. The boot offers 828 litres of storage space when 4/5 seats are upright, and up to 333 litres when 6/7 seats are upright. Up to ten items in the EV9 have been produced from sustainable materials. Earth and GT-Line interiors get vegan leather upholstery. Noise insulation includes sound-absorbing tyres, laminated sound insulation glass and sound absorbing carpets.
Standard features for the Earth version include 19-inch alloys, screens already mentioned, fingerprint recognition, a 360deg surround view monitor, reversing camera, wireless mobile phone charger, and a whole array of top-end driver-assist and safety features that include nine airbags, blind spot monitor and blind-spot collision-avoidance assist. Remote Smart Parking Assist 2, standard on GT-Line, allows the vehicle to park itself in perpendicular, diagonal, and parallel parking spots. A feature of the EV9’s connectivity will be the option for owners to buy specific extra features with over-the-air software upgrades. Five exterior colours are offered. The EV9 has up to 2,500kg towing capacity.
Ultra-fast charging can add up to 249km of driving range in 15 minutes.
The Earth 7-seat RWD is priced at €77,500, the GT-Line 6-seat AWD at €85,500; the GT-Line 7-seat AWD €85,500. Wait time is around two-and-a-half months.
EV9 competes in the E-SUV segment where main rivals include the Tesla Model X, BMW iX, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Audi Q8 e-tron, and Volvo’s EX90.
Kia plan to sell one million BEV (Battery Electric Vehicles) by 2026 of which 25pc will be electric-only models and 1.6 million by 2030 with 37pc 100pc electric models.
An EV3 is due out next October, EV4 in Q1 2025 and EV5 in Q2 2025.
An EV9 launch incentive pack consists of 3 free services, a free home charger, €500 home energy credit (Energia), 2-year Kia charge, Ionity Plus Package, a €500 Kia accessory voucher, 1.9pc APR finance, and a €500 SuperValu gift card.
At yesterday’s launch, Kia Ireland Managing Director Ronan Flood (pictured below with the EV9) told how the Irish company is currently transforming its dealerships to raise the profile of the brand around the country. Year-to-date over 9,000 Kias have been registered with Sportage the second best-selling car. Mr Flood is hopeful of increasing this figure to 10,000 units next year. Kia Ireland currently enjoys a 7.5pc market share in Ireland.
