LA Motor Show 2021: This Boxy Electric SUV Could Soon Be Kia’s Flagship EV

• Exhibits Kia’s new ‘opposites united’ design philosophy

• Claimed electric range of 300 miles (480km)

• Can charge from 10-80 percent in 30 minutes with a 350kW DC fast charger

• Expected to spawn a 3-row electric SUV in the near future

Kia has taken the wraps off a new electric vehicle (EV), the Concept EV9 electric SUV, at the LA Motor Show 2021. It’s a bizarre, boxy concept with upright A-pillars, and it is expected to spawn a production version that could be a flagship vehicle in Kia’s EV lineup. After the EV6, it’s the second vehicle underpinned by Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP global modular dedicated platform for EVs. 

The EV9 SUV has been designed with Kia’s new ‘opposites united’ philosophy. According to Kia, it uses upcycled marine waste in its construction -- old fishnets make up the EV’s floor, and the seat fabric is made from recycled water bottles and wool fibres. 

At 4.9 metres, the Kia Concept EV9 is about the same size as an MG Gloster. It features Kia’s new ‘tiger face’ fascia and all-LED headlights. It also has 22-inch aerodynamic wheels and interesting angular tail lamps. The production version is expected to be a 3-row family SUV. 

Inside, the EV9 gets a 27-inch ultra-wide display for driver’s instrumentation and infotainment. The steering wheel is a yoke that pops out of the dashboard. It retracts back in ‘Pause Mode’, so you can turn the EV9 into a “first-class lounge.” In Pause Mode, you can turn the first and third rows to face each other, and the second row folds down to become a table. Alternatively, Enjoy Mode lets you bask in the outdoors by opening the tailgate and turning around the third and first rows. 

Kia hasn’t divulged powertrain details yet, but for your reference, the EV6 electric vehicle has an optional AWD powertrain that should find its way into the EV9. With electric motors at each of the front and rear axles, the total power output stands at 585PS and 740Nm. Kia claims that the EV9 SUV will have a 480km range, and will be capable of charging from 10 to 80 per cent in barely half an hour at a peak rate of 350kW of DC fast charging current. 

We expect to see an unveiling of the production-spec Kia EV9 sometime next year, and it could hit the market sometime in 2023. It’s too early to tell if it’ll come to India, but with a growing electric car market, we can only be hopeful with our fingers crossed. Watch this space for more news about all-electric global vehicles that are making their way to our country.