[Auto/Moto]The EV9 Is More Proof That Kia Is Killing It With EVs

[NERO ™]

Like the smaller EV6, the EV9 rides on Hyundai Motor’s E-GMP electric-car platform. While similar in size to the hugely po[CENSORED]r Kia Telluride, the EV9 has a longer wheelbase and a bit more interior passenger room. Brewing an EV, it’s unsurprisingly more expensive, with a base price of $54,900 and this top-trim GT-Line tester stickering for $79,390. (Right now, Kia imports EV9s from Korea, but in the summer, it will begin manufacturing in the US. Those EV9s should qualify for some of the $7,500 federal tax credit on EVs.)

What immediately strikes you is the refinement. Yes, EVs are quiet and smooth in general, but the EV9 is especially hushed and silky. The GT-Line comes with motors at the front and rear combining for 379 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. It is damn quick for something this large—Kia quotes a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds—but the power delivery is expertly calibrated never to be jarring. There’s no slamming-into-the-headrest histrionics, and just a faint whine under acceleration.

I spent some time in a Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max just before testing the EV9, and while that car has a very nice hybrid drivetrain, the Kia shows just how much nicer things are when you get rid of internal combustion in a car like this. The effortless acceleration and near silence make the EV9 feel like a true luxury car by comparison. All long-range versions of the EV9 come with a 99.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and for the GT-Line, Kia quotes a 270-mile EPA range. I didn’t do any scientific range testing with it, but on one relatively fast highway drive I easily saw 2.7 miles/kWh, and on a slower drive that included a mix of highway and city traffic, I managed 3.1 miles/kWh. These were both on a dry, overcast 45-degree day and suggest that you should have no trouble matching or beating the official range figures. The efficiency is especially impressive when you consider the EV9’s size and weight, over 5,800 pounds as tested.
Like the rest of its E-GMP family, the EV9 uses an 800-volt electrical architecture that provides for very fast charging speeds. At a busy Electrify America station and with minimal battery pre-heating, I managed around 160 kilowatts from around 40 percent state of charge. Kia says maximum charging is 210 kW, which is far better than most electric SUVs on the market. Overall, the EV9 is a very comfortable car, though the driving dynamics are what you’d expect from an SUV. It’s a nitpick, but I think the car is a little underdamped—roll over a big bump and it takes a little while for the body to settle down. And while the center of gravity typical of EVs helps with handling, this thing still weighs close to three tons. But, none of these are really points against, and certainly not for the EV9’s target customers. If you’re coming out of an internal-combustion three-row and into this, you won’t be disappointed.
source:https://www.motor1.com/reviews/711436/2024-kia-ev9-gt-line-road-test/

Edited March 14 by Axel™