Kia has given some insights into the final test programme of the EV9 and announced its world premiere for the first quarter of 2023. Test drives with camouflaged prototypes are currently still taking place in South Korea.
Kia announced the large SUV with a concept in November 2021. The EV9 is the brand’s second battery-electric production model based on the 800-volt E-GMP platform after the EV6 and will also be launched in Europe in 2023.
Developed over a period of 44 months, the model is currently undergoing testing at Kia’s global research and development centre in Namyang, Korea, covering all areas of the electric SUV. Press images show the prototypes on a watered test track and undergoing entanglement tests.
This last test phase also includes an off-road programme. According to Kia, the EV9 should prove its climbing ability, but also its reliability when driving through deep water. In addition to the tests in Namyang, however, the Korean company has also revealed road tests in Belgium, among other places. “For example, the unforgiving cobblestones of Belgian roads offer Kia engineers the opportunity to test the EV9’s ride comfort and build quality under the toughest conditions,” Kia writes.
The EV9 Concept study is 4.94 metres long and 1.80 metres high, and the production model is likely to achieve similar figures. As a WLTP range, up to 540 kilometres with an electric all-wheel drive with two motors has been promised so far. Exact performance data has not yet been revealed.