New Kia EV9 GT brings 501bhp to electric SUV – and fake gear shifts

• 501bhp dual-motor electric setup
• Fake gearshift mode
• Coming next year; expected to cost around £90,000

Kia’s assault on the premium car market continues with this, the new Kia EV9 GT. The normal EV9 was already the brand’s most upmarket and most expensive car to date, but the GT model takes things a step further with a performance twist.

Kia has taken the giant seven-seater electric SUV and given it a host of new sporty features, not to mention a serious bump in horsepower. It follows the same theme set up by the Kia EV6 GT, which took the standard EV and turned it into a bit of a rocket ship. The EV9 GT gets a couple of extras, however, including a simulated gear shift mode like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

What’s changed for the Kia EV9 GT?

Those two extra letters represent performance in Kia-speak, so it’s no surprise to learn that the EV9 GT gets a load more power than the standard EV9. The basic EV9 Air has just 200bhp, the GT-Line increases that to 378bhp, while the GT gets 501bhp. That’s thanks to its two electric motors; there’s one for each axle, providing all-wheel drive and an 0-60mph acceleration time of 4.3 seconds.

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The battery pack is carried over from the long range EV9, so there’s 100kWh to play with. Range hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a bit lower than other EV9 models, as is often the case with performance-focused EVs – somewhere just under 300 miles sounds plausible. Charging speeds will be up there with the best in class, however, with a rapid charge from 0 to 80% taking around 25 minutes.

Back to the exciting performance stuff. The extra power of the EV9 GT will be managed by some useful chassis upgrades, including a clever electronic limited-slip differential. This is designed to improve traction when you accelerate hard, something you might end up doing quite frequently with 501bhp under your right foot. You also get adaptive suspension, uprated brakes, and a wider wheel and tyre package, too.

Then there’s the EV9 GT’s party piece. Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, it gets a virtual gear shift mode, designed to replicate the sensation of driving a petrol car with paddle shifters. You don’t get any fake engine noise pumped into the cabin like the Hyundai, but the system could add an extra layer of fun to the big SUV.

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There’s not a whole lot to separate the GT’s styling from other EV9s, save for some bright green brake calipers, a slightly different front bumper and the aforementioned wheels. The green theme is replicated inside with ambient lighting and contrasting stitching, plus there’s a new steering wheel and different upholstery for the seats.

How much will the Kia EV9 GT cost?

Kia hasn’t confirmed any UK specs or pricing yet, but we don’t expect the EV9 GT to come cheap. The current range-topping GT-Line S model starts from around £76,000, so we’d expect that figure to rise by around £10,000 for the GT, given all of the new performance features. That would push it into serious territory, competing amongst the Polestar 3, Audi SQ6 e-tron and Volvo EX90.

You can read about our favourite electric SUVs here…