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Kia’s going on a bit of an EV news sprint. It’s got three EV stories out in the past week, in a time that has been quite an EV news drought among legacy automakers (for several months). There’s nothing revolutionary here, but the company keeps stepping forward. Interestingly, each story is about a different model — the EV9, the EV6, and the EV3. (Some good number fun there as well.)
Kia EV9 GT Debut in Los Angeles
First of all, we’ve got the debut of the Kia EV9 GT. Its world unveiling was today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Naturally, as a GT model, it’s all about its power and speed. The Model has 501 horsepower and goes 0–60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Unsurprisingly, it’s Kia’s most powerful three-row SUV ever. Here’s a bit more on features of the model:
- “An electronically controlled suspension, a first for a Kia SUV, sets shock damping based on the selected drive mode or through the GT button mounted on the steering wheel, while larger front brakes are designed to bring the angular SUV to a reassuring halt. Unique design elements inside and out set the EV9 GT apart from the rest of the award-winning EV9 model range.”
- “With standard e-AWD, the Kia EV9 GT is motivated through dual electric motors mounted front and rear. Up front is a 160-kW motor and at the rear, a powerful 270-kW motor. Combined, they net an estimated 501 horsepower, a 122 HP increase from the EV9 GT-Line’s 379 HP.”
- “Helping to bring the EV9 GT to a quick stop are upgraded brakes with exclusive GT-badged front calipers.”
- “Leaning into its sporting intentions, the EV9 GT arrives standard with exclusive Virtual Gear Shift (VGS). Simulating the experience of a traditional step-shift automatic transmission, VGS provides noticeable ‘shifts’ as the vehicle accelerates and can reduce acceleration when the rev limit is reached. While VGS can be felt when used to simulate a traditional automatic transmission, the driver can also use the paddles located on either side of the steering wheel to manually shift through the gears for an elevated sense of driving engagement. In-cabin electric Active Sound Design (e-ASD) works in concert with VGS to replicate the sounds of the gear shifts as the EV9 GT accelerates.” (Well that all sounds weird.)
- 800-volt fast charging allows for a 10–80% charge in 25 minutes.
We don’t know pricing yet, but deliveries are supposed to begin in the second half of 2025. You can read more about design features of the EV9 GT, its ADAS technology, and other matters here.
New Kia EV6 Debuts
The 2025 Kia EV6 also debuted at the LA Auto Show. It comes with various updates, including a new battery with more capacity. The 63 kWh battery is now the default battery, and then there’s an 84 kWh option that is supposed to provided 319 miles of range if you get the RWD Light LR, Wind, or GT-Line trim.
All sorts of details about the EV6 and its features and design can be found here.
The model comes with 800-volt charging architecture, like the EV9. Also, notably, the North American Charging Standard port is part of the car, and Kia even moved it to the left rear of the car to match where it is on Tesla vehicles.
Kia EV3 Nominated for Best Car Award
The EV6 and EV9 are so good and such a hit that there were high expectations for the EV3, and Kia is delivering on those. the EV3 has even made the shortlist for the Car of the Year award, which will be presented at the Brussels Motor Show on January 10, 2025.
Kia has had success in this competition before, and the company must be hopeful about the EV3’s chances. “Kia reached six times the COTY finalist stage over the last eight editions and even won with a dedicated EV,” Kia writes.
“With a segment-leading range of up to 605 km (WLTP), the Kia EV3 is equipped with 400V fast charging technology, making it possible to charge from 10% to 80% in just 29 minutes*. It can also add up to 202km of range in just 15min, making it one of the most efficient EVs in its class. In addition, the vehicle is supported by Kia Charge, the brand’s network that offers access to more than 800,000 charging points in 28 European countries.” Is it good enough to win the award?
“I am proud that Kia is the only brand present in Europe that reached six times the COTY finalist stage over the last eight editions and even won with a dedicated EV,” said Marc Hedrich, President and CEO of Kia Europe. “As a versatile and affordable electric vehicle, the Kia EV3 is proof that an EV can be the main car of the household while suiting a variety of lifestyles — and it is available now across Europe.”
Stay tuned for news on whether the EV3 wins the award or not.
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