This car is the EV of the year, honored with World Car of the Year!
India-bound Kia EV9 has been declared the award winner in two major categories at this year’s Newsweek World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors Awards. This marks Kia's fifth win in the 20-year history of the awards. The EV9, an all-electric SUV, received the Best Car of the Year and Best Electric Vehicle of the Year awards. What we know is The Kia Global Design Head and Executive Vice President, Karim Habib, was named the "Design Disruptor of the Year," while the all-electric EV9 won the title of "Research and Development Disruptor of the Year."
Kia's previous successes include the 2023 World Performance Car title for the EV6 GT, the 2020 World Car of the Year for the Telluride, and the World Urban Car award for the Soul EV.
EV9, Kia’s fully electric SUV was launched back in 2021 at Los Angeles Auto Show and later globally introduced in Seoul, South Korea in March 2023 which is set to enter the Indian market as a fully-imported CBU model.
The EV9 is the first Kia to use fourth-generation battery technology for better performance that is built on the E-GMP platform. It is available with three different powertrain options globally. A 215-horsepower electric motor installed on the rear axle is coupled to a 76.1 kWh battery pack in the entry-level models. With just one charge, this variant is said to have a 358 km range.
A larger 99.8 kWh battery with a 541 km range on a single charge is included in the mid-level models. The rear-wheel drive motor is connected to this battery pack. The top-spec models have a larger 99.8 kWh battery that powers two motors together to produce a maximum combined output of 380 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque.
Kia EV9 has a few eye-catching features which include a twin-screen setup with 12.3-inch displays for the touchscreen infotainment system and digital instrument cluster, a 4-spoke steering wheel, split-remote folding seats with headrests in the second and third rows, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, an adjustable smart power tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, and more.
With its 800V design, Over The Air (OTA) update technology, and remarkable drag coefficient of just 0.28, the Kia EV9 is a vehicle that highlights many innovative R&D innovations. It keeps its 198 mm of ground clearance and seven seats in place. With the Light Long Range RWD variant, it has an impressive 490 km of EPA-estimated range.
Heuiwon Yang, President and Head of Kia R&D Division, stated in reference to the two prizes that "Kia R&D is driven by process, but not limited by it, which implies that at Kia, our engineers are empowered and trusted to drive innovation, develop new technologies, and provide improvements more quickly than the industry standard. Although the EV9 was created to challenge preconceived notions in the market, price remains a key differentiator in the three-row mainstream market, particularly for expanding families. Our goal was to provide the greatest features possible for the EV9 without increasing the price to the customer.”
Also to be noted the EV9 has been recognized as the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, following in the footsteps of the EV6. Kia's West Point assembly factory in Georgia is set to expand in response to this accomplishment, and preparations are in place for the three-row all-electric car to become the company's first electric vehicle to be assembled in the US later this year.
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