In case you hear intently, you may nonetheless hear the echoing sound of numerous champagne bottles being popped open at KIA headquarters worldwide. Their ugly duckling simply managed to seize two main titles that may most positively assist enhance these “rookie” numbers. It is like successful the Oscars twice in the identical evening, however with out getting slapped by Will Smith.
Kia’s President and CEO, Ho Sung Track, was honored by the double combo from the New York Worldwide Auto Present and mentioned, “This triumph is a testomony to our unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of expertise and design excellence. The Kia EV9’s continued success will drive us to maintain delivering distinctive autos that redefine the driving expertise for purchasers world wide.”
In case you are curious concerning the judges, as you ought to be, the “excessive council” contains 100 “distinguished” worldwide automotive journalists from 29 nations. The voting poll is stored secret, and the Kia EV9 was chosen out of 38 different autos for the World Automobile of the Yr. Apart from the latter, the opposite two finalists had been the BYD Seal and the Volvo EX30.
The Kia competed in opposition to 32 different EVs within the World Electrical Car class and received into the three finalists’ record alongside the BMW i5 and Volvo EX30. As a enjoyable truth, the EV9 additionally gained Girls’s World Automobile of the Yr (WWCOTY) on March 8, which coincided with the Worldwide Girls’s Day.
Photograph: Newspress USA
The Kia EV9 in the US is available in 5 variations. The Mild RWD prices $54,000 and has 215 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque with an estimated vary of 230 miles (370 km) through its 76.1 kWh battery. The Mild Lengthy Vary RWD mannequin begins at $59,200 and produces 201 hp with 258Â (350 Nm) lb-ft of torque with an estimated vary of 304 miles (489 kilometers) attributable to its 99.8 kWh battery pack.
The Twin Motor e-AWD Wind model’s MSRP is $63,900, and it comes with 379 hp and 443 lb-ft (601 Nm) of torque. It could actually journey an EPA estimated vary of 280 Miles or 450 km (99.8 kWh battery). The Land AWD mannequin has some fairly bada** “hub caps” and produces the identical energy output and vary because the Wind AWD. Lastly, the GT-Line AWD additionally has a twin motor, which might ship 379 hp with 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. It has an EPA-Estimated Vary of 270 Miles through its 99.8 kWh battery.
The GT-Line may not appear like it was born for velocity attributable to its asymmetrical lunchbox form, however it would plaster a Volvo XC90 and a Vary Rover Velar in drag racing. The Kia EV9 can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and end the quarter mile in 13.3 seconds. The EV9 did not win two main awards for nothing.
Now that the mud has settled and the trophies have been positioned on Kia’s mantel, the one query stays: Will they lastly make this mannequin a bit prettier?