Kia
Last week, Hyundai teased a concept of a new electric SUV called “Seven.” On Thursday, it was Kia’s turn to tease its version, a concept it is calling “EV9.”
Details are scant for EV9, as they are for the Hyundai Seven, although we know it will employ Hyundai Motor Group’s new E-GMP electric vehicle platform, which uses an 800 V electrical architecture. The platform enables rapid fast charging to 80 percent in less than 20 minutes and either rear- or all-wheel drive layouts for larger-battery electric vehicles.
Like the Seven, the EV9 has a flexible and adaptive interior, although I’m slightly worried about Kia’s “radical new take on the traditional steering wheel.” There are, after all, perfectly good reasons that most cars use round steering wheels.
Kia’s teaser images give away a little more of the look of the EV9 than Hyundai did last week with the Seven. Kia describes the shape as “ultramodern,” but the silhouette looks reminiscent of the brand’s best-selling Telluride.
Kia will formally reveal the EV9 concept at next week’s Los Angeles Auto Show.