2023 Kia EV9 to feature Level 3 Autonomous Driving System; debut confirmed for Jan 2023

KUALA LUMPUR: It was during the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show that Kia unveiled the EV9 Concept and signaled toward the soon launch of a large e-SUV. The zero-emission family hauler is said to share its platform with the EV6, i.e., the E-GMP platform, and is scheduled for debut in the first half of the year.

Hyundai Motor Group during a meeting at the Namyang R&D Centre, South Korea also announced that the EV9 will be the brand's first to feature Highway Driving Pilot, a Level 3 autonomous driving system. Here the driver will only require to take control of the car in emergency situations wherein human input is needed to avoid a potential accident.

Here’s what we expect to get out of the new Kia EV9 -

• A tentative price tag of $50,000 (around RM 220,200), making it a significant undercut over all the other 3-row electric SUVs
  Capability to cover around 483 km (in EPA cycle) before recharging the battery pack
• Like the concept, the production version is also expected to support a 350 kW charging setup that takes 20-30 minutes to juice up the battery from 10 -80 percent
• The design theme will mainly replicate that of the concept
• The concept measures 1,930 mm in length, 2,055 mm in width, and 1,790 mm in height, and the wheelbase expands to 3,100 mm. In case, the production version replicates the specs, it’ll feature a spacious cabin

The upcoming Kia EV9 is one of the brand’s seven purely electric models that are confirmed to arrive by 2027. Apart from the EV9, the lineup includes two pickups - one riding on a dedicated electric platform while the other featuring an architecture used for ICE-powered vehicles.

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