- Kia EV9 GT heading to UK
- Max power of 508 hp
- Can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds
- Full price and specs still to be revealed
Seven seats, 508 hp, and the ability to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds - who says you can’t have the best of all worlds?
You’re looking at the Kia EV9 GT, an incoming performance variant of one of our favourite electric SUVs. It'll sit alongside the Kia EV6 GT in the firm's range.
Like the regular Kia EV9, lease customers can expect three rows of seats and room for seven occupants.
Unlike the common-or-garden Kia EV9, though, the GT has been handed power of 508 hp, which is up from the max 378 hp you get with the standard car.
The Kia EV9 was already rapid in normal form but the EV9 GT is even quicker off the mark. In fact, it’s more rapid than the all-wheel drive ‘4’ version of the Porsche Macan Electric.
Despite all of that oomph, the all-wheel drive Kia EV9 GT still gets a range of around 280 miles between charges.
You can also expect a sophisticated Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS) system that uses sensors and cameras to analyse the road ahead and to make subtle adjustments to the suspension set-up and shock absorption. An electronic Limited Slip Differential (e-LSD) with dynamic torque vectoring is standard issue.
Marc Hedrich, President, and CEO at Kia Europe, said: “The EV9 GT offers an exhilarating-to-drive factor with comfort and enjoyment for everyone on board while keeping the versatility to take everything with you. We have taken the basis of the best car in the world and developed a stand-alone, high-performance version that will turn heads everywhere it goes.”
There’s unique styling inside and out, including neon accents on the steering wheel and Alcantara suede sports seats, as well as 21-inch alloys with uprated brake callipers.
Punch the neon green ‘GT’ button on the steering wheel and you’ll enter GT Mode, which ‘offers the full performance potential of the EV9 GT’, says Kia.
Much like theHyundai Ioniq 5 N, the Kia EV9 GT features Virtual Gear Shift (VGS) simulator, with motorists able to use the paddles behind the steering wheel to ‘manually shift through the gears for an elevated sense of driving engagement’, according to the Korean manufacturer.
The 800-volt fast charging architecture, paired with a 99.8kWh battery, enables a charge from 10-to-80% in 24 minutes.
On top of everything, you still get a towing capacity of up to 2,500 kg.
UK pricing and specs are due to be announced next year.
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