Kia EV9 GT will be a power monger

Several juicy new details have been revealed about the upcoming Kia EV9 GT high-performance electric SUV, including its reveal timing and rapid standing-start acceleration, as part of the Korean car-maker’s recent CEO Investor Day presentation.

Set to be revealed in January 2025 ahead of an expected Australian launch later next year – at a price that could make your eyes water (think $150,000) – the flagship Kia EV9 GT will be powered by a pair of upgraded ‘high-output’ electric motors that will deliver ‘enormous power’, said Kia’s global CEO, Ho Sung Song.

Furthermore, Kia’s global chief promised the circa-2.6-tonne Toyota LandCruiser-size upper-large electric SUV will accelerate to 100km/h in four seconds flat.

It’s understood the EV6 GT will develop close to 1000Nm of torque to achieve this feat.

Like Kia’s current hero EV, the smaller Kia EV6 GT, the red-hot large SUV will feature a more powerful rear e-motor than lesser variants and Kia has confirmed it will be packaged with ‘reinforced suspension’ complete with sports-tuned adaptive dampers.

Together with an upgraded braking system, the Kia EV9 GT’s improved chassis is designed to provide “stable driving performance at speeds”, says the Korean car-maker.

The most powerful Kia EV9 on sale in Australia at present is the GT-Line ($121,000 plus on-road costs), which belts out 283kW/700Nm from its dual electric motors and claims a 5.3sec 0-100km/h time.

Along with beefed-up e-motors, the Kia EV9 GT will also get significant software changes to boost performance, but is likely to retain the same big 99.8kWh lithium-ion battery as the EV9 GT-Line.

The big, blocky seven-seat electric SUV, which was named the 2024 World Car of the Year, clearly won’t be resting on its laurels and, in a broader sense, nor will Kia with its future EVs.

Kia’s CEO Investor Day also shone a light on a number of upcoming models and upgrades to existing products, under the header ‘2024 New Vehicle Launch Plan’.

Two new models will be revealed this year, including the EV3 by mid-year and the K4 in the third quarter of the year. The EV3 is tipped to arrive here in 2025 alongside the K4, which will replace the Cerato in Australia.

Upcoming facelifts confirmed at the Investor Day include those for the EV6 and the award-winning Kia Sportage in the second quarter of 2024, along with a revamped EV6 GT scorcher later this year.

Up to six all-new Kia models – not counting facelifts or derivatives – are expected to be launched in Australia in 2025, including EV3, EV4 and K4, plus the Tasman ute and, potentially, the brand’s first electric van, the PV5.

Kia Australia’s 137 dealers are expected to be joined by several more by the time the Kia Tasman utes rolls around next year and the brand has pledged to launch 15 new EVs by 2027.

Kia’s global CEO said the car-maker hopes to sell around 4.3 million vehicles globally by 2030, of which 1.6 million will be EVs.

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