Kia used the EV9 name for the first time back in 2021 when it unveiled a concept with the same name at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It was just a preview of Kia's assault on the premium EV segment. It took Kia less than a year to start testing a production version of the EV9 concept, as our spy photographers caught a first prototype out in the wild.

Kia EV9 Spy Shots 10-10-2022

The Kia EV9 Could Look a lot like the Concept

When looking at the prototype caught testing today you will notice it features the same boxy design as the concept version. It will however be slightly toned down. Since the car is heavily camouflaged, it is difficult to make an idea of how the final design will look, but we do expect some changes when compared to the concept. For example, we expect the rear suicide doors to be replaced with more conventional doors.

Kia's First Car with OTA Updates and Autonomous Driving

For the first time in a Kia EV, the future EV9 will be offered with over-the-air software update (OTA) for controllers and Feature on Demand (FoD) services. Kia will also equip the next SUV with the AutoMode - the company’s upcoming autonomous driving system. This technology will be in its second phase of development and will include: OTA update, NSCC (Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control) with HD maps, Highway Driving Pilot (HDP), and Auto Lane Change. This will mark the start of the second phase in Kia’s autonomous technology roadmap. Kia is also promising that starting in 2025, AutoMode will offer full autonomous driving.

Kia EV9 Specifications and Performance

When Kia unveiled the EV9 concept, it said nothing about what powertrain will it have. What we know is that the production version will offer a range of about 540 kilometers - 335 miles - and will go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5 seconds. When attached to 350-kWh charger, it’ll charge from 10- to 80-percent in 20-30 minutes and can add up to 100 kilometers of range in only 6 minutes. What it's unknown at this point is if these performance figures will only apply to the GT version - as you know, all Kia EV series model will also be offered in GT form too.

The production version will be a three-row SUV which means it will be a big car. It will be around 5 meters (196.85 inches) long, 2 meters (78.7 inches) wide, and 1.8 meter (70.86 inches) tall. Rumors suggest the production version EV9 will arrive sometime in 2023 with sales to start for the 2024 model year. On the U.S. market the EV9 should be priced from around $50k.