This Could Be Our First Official Look At The Production-Spec Kia EV9

Dec. 28, 2022 4:08 PM ET by Jared Rosenholtz Teaser / 2 Comments

It was shared by Kia India, of all places.

The 2024 Kia EV9 is edging closer to production as final testing is already underway in South Korea. As further evidence that a production model may be shown soon, Kia India posted a new teaser on its Twitter account. This is quite interesting because the Kia America and Kia Worldwide accounts did not tweet the same video.

The video is incredibly short at just 14 seconds, but it teases what could be the production EV9. This being a teaser, only the lights and overall silhouette are visible before a "coming soon" caption emerges. Kia India says, "Get ready to be inspired. Stay tuned for more!"

UPDATE: Kia India posted again on Twitter, this time confirming that this teaser showed the concept, not the final production version. "Take a glance at the #KiaConceptEV9 as you join us for the #KiaAutoExpo23," the tweet reads.

https://twitter.com/KiaInd/status/1607674682337300482

https://twitter.com/KiaInd/status/1608089612085506049

Judging by official photos of a camouflaged test vehicle, this latest teaser could be the final car, not a concept. The headlights and taillights appear to be the same shape as the photos below, but it's tough to say for certain because the production EV9 should look very similar to the original concept design. Kia says the EV9 will enter production and go on sale in Europe by 2023, so the timing of this new teaser seems right on schedule.

The EV9 will ride on the same E-GMP platform as the smaller EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, meaning it will include an 800-volt charging architecture for rapid charging speeds. As for the battery, it should be larger than the EV6's 77.4 kWh pack to enable a 335-mile range.

Power specifications are still a mystery, but it's assumed that the EV9 will match the EV6's dual-motor with around 320 horsepower. A more powerful EV9 GT could arrive with nearly 600 hp on tap.

When it arrives next year, the EV9 will be among the few mainstream three-row EVs on the market alongside its corporate sibling, the Hyundai Ioniq 7. The only other electric three-rows are more expensive, such as the Mercedes-Benz EQB and EQS SUV, Rivian R1S, Tesla Model Y and X, and the upcoming VinFast VF9. In other words, Kia could have another smash hit on its hands very soon.