South Korean automobile major Kia has revealed details of the final testing program undertaken by its all-electric EV9 ahead of its world debut in 2023.
The Kia EV9 will become the brand’s flagship model and revolutionise the large electric SUV segment. The electric car aims to accelerate the automaker’s brand transformation while affirming its leadership in sustainable electric mobility.
Developed over a period of 44 months to set new standards in design, performance, range, driving dynamics, technology, and comfort, every facet of the EV9 is currently being pushed to the limits of durability at Kia’s global Namyang R&D centre, according to the company.
Seoul-based Kia first gave the world a preview of EV9 at AutoMobility LA in Los Angeles last year. Personifying ‘Opposites United,’ the brand’s “ground-breaking” new design language, the EV9 production model will represent the pinnacle of what is possible with an SUV.
The EV9 is fitted with a solar panel built into the car bonnet, and interiors made from sustainable materials. The automaker notes that the electric car is being developed on the company’s advanced Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and will usher in a new era in sophisticated, high-technology, sustainable mobility.
During this final testing phase, the EV9 is relentlessly subjected to a verification program the automaker describes as “gruelling”. Testing on a 4WD climbing hill, rough terrain tracks, and deep-water wading will “ensure maximum reliability even in the most challenging conditions.”
Kia’s high-speed handling and low-friction tracks place every element of the EV9’s performance and road-holding under the strictest scrutiny. In addition to the testing programme at the Namyang R&D centre, like every Kia model, the EV9 has also been subjected to a “punishing” testing regimen in locations all over the globe.
Set to be formally introduced in the first quarter of 2023, the Kia EV9 will follow in the footsteps of the brand’s ground-breaking all-electric EV6. The EV6 has garnered numerous critical accolades, including the highly prestigious European Car of the Year 2022 title, and in the UK has continued to impress at an incredibly high level.