Kia announced the launch of its flagship electric vehicle— the EV9— in India last year. It will be the second battery-powered vehicle from the Korean carmaker in India after the EV6 crossover. Like EV6, EV9 will also be a fully-imported model brought to the country via the Completely Built Unit (CBU) route.
It seems Kia’s plan to launch the EV9 remains on track as a test mule of the same recently spotted on Indian roads. The completely uncamouflaged unit of the EV9 reveals every visual detail in its entirety. The electric SUV made its maiden appearance at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto show which was followed by its global debut in Seoul, South Korea in March 2023.
Kia EV9 spied: Design & Dimensions
The test mule spied in India gets the exact same visual highlights as the global-spec model. This includes a boxy profile with tall pillars, and a flat roofline, a distinctive sealed-off front grille flanked by vertical LED headlamps with integrated LED DRLs on both sides. The massive wheel arches are filled with 21-inch machine-cut alloy wheels.
At the rear, the EV9 flaunts Volvo-like sleek LED taillights running along the D-pillar. Other highlights include a roof-mounted spoiler, roof rails, a shark fin antenna, and silver-finished lower lip on the front and the rear bumpers. In terms of dimensions, EV9 measures 5,015 mm long, 1,980 mm wide and 1,780 mm tall. It has a massive wheelbase of 3,100mm.
Kia EV spied: Features, powertrain expected
Inside the cabin, the EV9 comes with a three-row configuration with a seven-seat layout which is expected to be the only option for the India-spec model. Other standout features inside the cabin of EV9 include a large twin- screen setup that houses the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
Besides this, the dashboard has a clean design with a 4-spoke steering wheel. Other features on offer include 60:40 split remote folding 2nd row Seats with headrests, 50:50 Split Remote folding 3rd row seats with headrests, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, an adjustable smart power tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, etc.
Based on Hyundai Group’s E-GMP platform, the global-spec EV9 gets three powertrain options. The entry-level variants are offered with a 76.1 kWh battery pack mated to a 215 bhp electric motor mounted on the rear axle. This version offers a claimed range of 358 km on a single charge.
The mid-level variants get a larger 99.8 kWh battery that offers a 541 km range on single charge. This battery unit is linked to a rear-wheel drive motor. The top-spec variants get the larger 99.8 kWh battery sending energy to a dual-motor setup delivering a peak combined output of 380 bhp and 600 Nm torque.
Image Source: Team BHP