* Breakthrough SUV EV redefines user experience with enhanced space and comfort for all occupants
* Kia drives towards sustainability with the EV9 by embracing sustainable and biomaterials on path to carbon neutrality
* Kia plans to introduce conditional Level-3 Autonomy via Highway Driving Pilot (HDP)1 in GT-line
* All-electric WLTP target range over 541 km on a single charge; 239 km range with 15 minutes ultra-fast 800-volt charging time
* Kia Connect Store enables customers to update features of their EV9 Over-the-Air (OTA), anytime, anywhere
* EV9 accelerates Kia’s transition to a sustainable mobility solutions provider

(SEOUL) March 29, 2023 – Kia has today revealed full details of the Kia EV9, its first three-row seat electric flagship SUV that brings fresh thinking, design, and technology to the sector and spearheads the brand’s rapid transformation to a sustainable mobility solutions provider in the era of electrification.

Numerous technological breakthroughs include the Highway Driving Pilot (HDP) system, available in the Kia EV9 GT-line in the future, enabling conditional Level 3 autonomous driving in selected markets. It also introduces the Kia Connect Store, which enables customers to purchase digital features and services on demand, giving them the flexibility to choose the features they want and continuously upgrade the capability of the EV9 with Over the Air (OTA) updates at any time.

Kia will begin offering pre-order of the EV9 for the Korean market in the second quarter of 2023. The Kia EV9 will go on sale in selected global markets from the second half of the year.

Today, Kia has released the EV9 world premiere video with full details of the model. The video can be viewed on the Kia EV9 global brand page at https://worldwide.kia.com/int/ev9

Design: reshaping the SUV user experience for millennial families

Guided by the brand’s 'Opposites United' design philosophy, the EV9 re-envisions the all-electric SUV with a unique balance of natural and modern elements. The ‘Bold for Nature’ design pillar, which inspires the combination of elements from the natural and material worlds, has played a pivotal role in forming the design of the EV9.

The Kia EV9’s exterior provides a sense of serene contemporary calmness befitting of a sophisticated EV for a new age of sustainable mobility. The vehicle features a 3,100-mm wheelbase, supported by a choice of 21-inch, 20-inch or 19-inch wheels. With an overall length of 5,010 mm, it stands at 1,980-mm wide and 1,755-mm tall4, displaying a bold and contemporary appearance while still maintaining its unique character.

The Kia EV9 offers a range of seating options that cater to diverse needs. It offers seven-seater and six-seater configurations and a variety of second-row seat options, totaling to four6, suitable for different situations such as moving, charging, and resting. The first-row features relaxation seats that ensure a comfortable resting posture. The second row, for the first time among global EV models, offers four seating options, including 3-seater bench seats, basic-type, relaxation-type, and swivel-type two-seater independent seats, providing customers with a variety of usage methods to choose from.

When equipped with the second-row relaxation seats, the EV9 allows first and second-row occupants to recline together while the SUV is charging. With the swivel seat option, the second-row seats swivel 180 degrees to enable conversations with those seated in the third row. Occupants in the third row are provided with charging points and cup holders.

More information on Kia EV9 design is available in the design reveal press release at https://www.kianewscenter.com.

Sustainability: setting new standards for responsible mobility

Kia’s strategic commitment to become a leader in sustainable mobility, and its declared roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, extend beyond the provision of zero-emission EV drivetrains. They also encompass the materials used in the vehicle’s construction, and the EV9 takes this to the next level, with eco-friendly materials applied to set new standards in sustainable mobility.

The Kia EV9 marks a pioneering milestone as the first model to embrace the brand’s three-step Design Sustainability Strategy, initiated to phase out the use of leather, apply ten ‘must-have’ sustainable items to all new Kia models and continuously increase the use of bio-based materials such as corn, sugar cane, and natural oils. Kia’s target is to increase the proportion of recycled plastics it uses to 20 per cent by 2030.

The EV9's color palette draws inspiration from nature's four core elements, namely light, air, earth, and water, to establish a connection with nature's beauty and fuse it into the EV9's design philosophy.

The EV9's interior features a total of six different combinations, from a light modern grey to elegant natural tones and a more sporting version for the GT-line.

Electric drivetrain: full range of multiple zero-emission mobility solutions

The EV9 features a broad choice of electric powertrain configurations based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and utilizing Kia’s fourth-generation battery technology. A 76.1-kWh battery is offered exclusively with the Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) Standard model7, while a 99.8-kWh battery is fitted in both the RWD Long Range and All Wheel Drive (AWD) variants.

The RWD Long Range model utilizes a 150 kW / 350 Nm electric motor, endowing the SUV with the ability to accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 9.4 seconds, as preliminary data reveals. Also powered by a single electric motor, albeit a more powerful 160 kW / 350 Nm variant, the Standard RWD EV9 can accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.

The AWD variant is equipped with two electric motors that together unleash a total power output of 283 kW and a combined torque of 600 Nm. This potent combination enables the SUV to surge from 0-to-100 km/h in just 6.0 seconds. And even greater levels of performance are available with an optional Boost feature, available for later purchase at the Kia Connect Store. The combined torque is increased to an exceptional 700 Nm, enabling the EV9 to accelerate from 0-to-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds.

The EV9 comes with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality through its Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), enabling the discharging of energy from the vehicle battery. Families can use up to 3.68 kW9 of power for laptops or camping equipment.

Safety and convenience: designed and engineered to enhance the driving experience of all occupants

The EV9’s numerous additional features facilitated by Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) include Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 (RSPA 2). This technology enables the EV9 to park itself without the need for driver intervention, whether in or out of the vehicle, with the driver initiating the procedure via the Kia smart key called Digital Key 2.

By using ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles, the RSPA 2 automatically maneuvers the EV9 into the designated parking space, controlling the accelerator, brakes, and gearshift. The system also automatically applies the brakes if an object representing an obstruction is detected in the vehicle’s path. The EV9 also features Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA) to prevent collisions with oncoming vehicles when reversing.

Alongside these features, the vehicle incorporates numerous advanced driver assistance systems from Kia to enhance passenger safety, such as Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), designed to aid drivers in potentially dangerous scenarios. The Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control (NSCC) ensures safe driving on highways and automobile-only roads, while Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2) enables lane changes and uses a hands-on detection (HOD) sensor to ensure driver engagement.

In addition, the EV9 offers pre- and post-driving safety and convenience with features such as Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance (RCCA) and Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA). Finally, Digital Key 2 utilizes Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) technology, allowing users to open and start their car using their smartphone, even when the key is in their pocket or bag – another first for Kia.

Kia's global campaign for the EV9: ‘Here to reshape the way we move’

Kia is set to embark on a series of global campaign activities, encapsulated in the statement ‘Here to reshape the way we move’. This statement speaks to the company's commitment to innovation and its vision for a future that is more sustainable, efficient, and convenient.

The EV9 is set to make its inaugural physical debut at the Seoul Mobility Show 2023 later this month. It will then be showcased at this year’s New York International Auto Show in early April. With the EV9, Kia is poised to set a new standard for electric vehicles that revolutionizes the concept of traveling in style and comfort.

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