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Kia EV9 will be the second electric vehicle to be based on eGMP platform after the EV6.turer.Â
Kia has announced that the final stage of testing for their EV9 electric SUV has begun. The EV9 will be the company’s flagship electric SUV, competing against other large SUVs. The Kia EV9 has been in the works for over 44 months. The SUV is currently being tested for its four-wheel drive system at Kia’s global Namyang R&D centre in Korea. The SUV will hit the market in the first quarter of 2023.
The Kia EV9 is being tested for steep slopes, rough terrain, and wading through deep water. High-speed stability, handling, and build quality have also been tested by the manufacturer.
The production-spec EV9 is based on the Kia Concept EV9, which debuted at AutoMobility LA last year. The spy shots show that the production-spec version is very close to the concept. The brand adheres to the ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy.
The EV9 is based on the e-GMP or Electric Global Modular Platform that is also being used for Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. The space of the EV9 is expected to be more than the Kia Telluride which is the current flagship SUV that gets an internal combustion engine. The e-GMP is an electric skateboard platform. So, the wheels are placed on the corners and in the middle there is a flat floorboard that houses the batteries.
Because there is no engine, transmission, fuel tank, or driveshaft, the e-GMP platform allows for better packaging. The architecture supports 800V charging, allowing for fast charging. As a result, the vehicle can be charged in just 18 minutes. This, however, is dependent on the size of the battery. The size of the EV9 battery pack is currently unknown. The EV9’s powertrain is also unknown, but it is expected to be similar to the EV6 and to feature all-wheel drive.
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