Kia’s all-electric evolution is upon us, and there is no bigger way for the South Korean automaker to get started than with its first-ever EV9.

What’s New for the 2024 Kia EV9

The Kia EV9 is an all-new model. It’s the second dedicated battery-electric vehicle (BEV) to be developed on Kia’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). With purpose-built electric-vehicle (EV) underpinnings paired with the automaker’s new fourth-generation battery technology, the EV9 is primed for performance and practicality. Specific trim levels will be announced closer to the model’s on-sale date, but the selections will include standard range, long range, and GT-Line models.

Design

The Kia EV9’s exterior design is fashioned after the Telluride’s, at least in the sense that it's a big block of power and presence. Character lines are chunky and forceful, with very little subtlety regarding the EV9’s performance and capabilities. And yet flushed door handles add sophistication and sleekness to the EV9 profile. The Kia standard “Tiger Nose” grille has been reimagined into an entire “Tiger Face” that is highlighted by slim LED headlights flanking the outmost edge of the front fascia. Available animated lighting patterns further add visual depth. The taillights follow suit with the slim LEDs.

Powertrain

Roughly the same size as the gasoline-powered Kia Telluride, the EV9 features three all-battery powertrains, the most powerful of which is good for up to 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the Telluride is offered with a single engine choice (3.8-liter V6) that produces 291 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, regardless of trim level.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is standard for single-motor variants of the EV9, with torque-vectoring all-wheel drive (AWD) reserved for dual-motor models.

The base 2024 EV9 is powered by a 76.1-kWh battery and 160-kW electric motor to produce 215 hp. Kia estimates that when optioned with a larger 99.8-kWh battery pairing, the EV9 will have 300 miles of all-electric range (AER). The dual-motor EV9 is powered by a combined 283 kW. Also designed as a mobile power source, the EV9 has an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities.

Regardless of powertrain, the 2024 Kia EV9 lineup will feature four drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, and a customizable My Mode. The electric midsize crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is also capable of a DC fast-charging speed of up to 230 kW. For Level 2 connections, there is an 11-kW onboard charger.

Interior

As a three-row midsize crossover, the Kia EV9 has room for up to seven passengers. It sits on a longer wheelbase than the Telluride does and adds 0.5 inches to measure up to 197.4 inches in length. Other CUV siblings’ relative heights and widths are also fractional in difference. And, at 7.8 inches, the EV9's ground clearance is within 0.2 inches of the Telluride’s 8.0 inches. Interior space is ample, even if slightly lower than the Telluride's. EV9 cargo capacity is listed at 20.2 cubic feet behind the third row and 81.9 cubic feet behind the first row. In the Telluride, these figures are 21.0 and 87.0 cubic feet, respectively.

Technology

For in-car technology, the EV9 is equipped with dual high-contrast digital screens. Featuring a Kia Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), the automaker’s next-generation operating system offers quicker processing times and allows the EV9 to be Kia’s first vehicle to offer over-the-air (OTA) updates. Also, a standard digital key will be compatible with Apple and Samsung smart devices as well as NFC-enabled smart cards. This shareable feature allows for remote vehicle access in addition to starting the vehicle.

Safety

Safety remains paramount, and the EV9 is equipped with the automaker’s suite of advanced safety systems known as Kia Drive Wise. Debuting in North America with the EV9 launch are Advanced Highway Driving Assist (AHDA) and Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA-2). These new safety systems provide semi-autonomous, hands-on driving capabilities that handle most of the work like maintaining speed and distance, lane centering, and even lane-change assistance.

Additional active safety features available are a 360-degree camera view, automatic high beams, a backup camera, forward collision avoidance that detects vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and a blind-spot warning system with a Blind-Spot View Monitor that, when a turn signal is activated, displays a video of the vehicle’s blind spot within the instrument cluster.

Pricing

Kia EV9 pricing, estimated range, and additional specs will be released closer to its sales launch, which is expected to be toward the end of 2023. However, EV9 production at Kia’s West Point, Georgia, plant is slated to begin in the early part of 2024, which will make the EV9 the first Kia EV built in the US.