MOTORS: Rule-breaker is a stunner as Kia’s new flagship EV
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While you may think all electric cars are beginning to look the same, Kia have come up with something very different.
There’s nothing quite like their new flagship, the EV9, which breaks all the existing electric rules to create a stunning car.
For a start, it’s huge at five-metres long and weighing more than two-and-a-half tonnes with three rows of seats as standard and the option of swivelling ‘Captain’s Chairs’ in the middle pair to create a cosy gathering place for passengers.
The package makes it practical and luxurious transport for a standard family and despite its dimensions, the electric set-up is superbly efficient offering around 300 miles of range on the open road and up to 400 around town.
Those official figures may not be far off the mark as I discovered when I drove one of the first UK models on a stunning round trip from Inverness to the west by Achnasheen and on to the road to Skye before a comfort stop at Eilean Donan Castle.
The return by the Five Sisters and along the shores of Loch Ness allowed the car to stretch its considerable legs and arriving back in the Highland capital there was still plenty of charge left.
The EV9 marks the brand’s move into a new market of not just big electric power but is also aimed at premium customers who won’t be deterred by the £65,000 starting price. Even the £76,000 price tag on the GT-Line S version I drove is highly competitive against alternative offerings from the likes of Land Rover which demand many thousands more for something which isn’t half as innovative or interesting.
I loved the experience behind the wheel and unlike many other EVs, the whole set up felt natural and instinctive with everything at hand and superbly simple to use.
From the driver’s seat, the interior feels huge with acres of space, leg and headroom for everyone on board but what’s remarkable is just how agile it is on the road whether on demanding twisty side roads or in city streets.
This jumbo EV presents an imposing image from its bold blunt front end with Kia’s “Digital Tiger Face” and distinctive vertical LED headlamps with a thin lens projection which are small cubes on the top-range versions.
At the back end, there’s a star map lamp graphic within the LED tail-lights to give the car a distinctive look even at night.
The seamless side view is helped by flush door handles which pop out automatically and the noise-absorbing tyres are mounted on low-drag alloy wheels with aero covers for ultimate efficiency.
It comes with only one 99.8 kWh battery option but a choice of two motor powertrains, six or seven seats and three trim levels – Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S – but they all come with a comprehensive list of features. Four-wheel-drive starts with the GT-Line which also has a massage function on the driver’s seat.
The top versions come with Terrain Mode with Mud, Snow and Sand settings for improved traction in demanding driving conditions.
The top-of-the-range GT-Line S has just about everything from 14-speaker premium sound system, smart powered tailgate, dual sunroofs and head-up display.
All versions have double 12.3 inch digital cockpit and touchscreen displays with a separate 5.3 inch screen for the climate control.
As one of only a few vehicles on sale with 800-volt charging capability, the EV9 can recharge the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in only 24 minutes, if you’re able to access a high power charger.
Performance is first-class, powering up to 62mph in only 5.3 seconds and with the battery packs set down in the body between the two axles, the low centre of gravity results in superb balance and stability even on the demanding roads of Wester Ross.
Kia EV9 GT-Line S 7-seater, single speed auto 4-wheel drive
PRICE: £75,995
POWERTRAIN: 99.8 kWh battery with 2 electric motors
POWER: 378 bhp
TORQUE: 700 Nm
TOWING CAPACITY: 2500 Kgs (braked)
TOP SPEED: 124mph
0-62mph: 5.3 secs
CHARGING TIME: 9 hrs 5 mins (230v/48A AC) 83 mins (50 kW DC)
RANGE: 300 miles
