Kia EV9 Concept officially rendered

The Kia EV9 Concept has been revealed in official renders two days after the big, blocky electric SUV’s silhouette was teased for the first time and a week before it debuts at the Los Angeles motor show.

Due to be revealed on the same day (November 18) at the same event (AutoMobility LA) is the Hyundai Seven concept, which will evolve into the Hyundai IONIQ 7 – the sister model to Kia EV9 production model.

Inside its squared off exterior, which is bigger than a Toyota LandCruiser, the Kia EV9 Concept shares many of the Seven’s interior philosophies, including an ‘adaptive and smart lounge space’ which ultimately serves to emphasise the EV9’s size and position as the flagship of Kia’s blooming EV portfolio.

Parallels with the rest of the range are also easy to spot by means of the ‘ultra-wide’ infotainment and digital driver’s display inspired by the one found in the smaller Kia EV6 and high-spec new-generation Kia Sportage.

The other big interior talking point is the radical new steering wheel, however, it remains to be seen if this feature is carried across to the production version.

A local introduction for the resulting EV9 is almost guaranteed given the nameplate and badge have been trademarked with IP Australia July 30 – EV1, EV2, EV3, EV4, EV5, EV7 and EV8 are all pending.

The Kia EV6 will arrive Down Under in January, three months after the Hyundai IONIQ 5 (last month). Using previous Hyundai-Kia launches as a reference – primarily the new Tucson/Sportage and IONIQ 5/EV6 – we expect the production-ready EV9 to arrive sometime in 2024, most likely around six months after the IONIQ 7.

Designers describe the Kia EV9 Concept as “an intriguing glimpse into the future direction of the all-electric SUV” with a “highly conceptual cabin that has been honed to give the driver and passengers a light, flexible and adaptive interior space as the experience of the journey evolves”.

Given its size and the guaranteed presence of the Hyundai Motor Group’s e-GMP electric architecture, it would be more than safe to assume the EV9 will come with the option of both two- and all-wheel drive.

Also tonight, Kia unveiled its roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, including becoming a fully-electric vehicle brand in Europe from 2035, “with key global markets to follow by 2040”.

Related: Electric Kia EV9 sizes up to LandCruiser