WITH the big rush to ‘go-electric’ and an ever-increasing number of cars to choose from, is the new Kia EV9 one you should be putting on your shopping list? Paul Gibson takes one of the first versions in the country on a road trip to Buckinghamshire to find out how it compares to other large SUVs.
WHEN I announce to anyone I’m driving an electric car, there’s a question they always ask before anything else. “How far can you drive on one charge?”
The answer is always different as I always state what the manufacturer says it does, and then I tell them the truth, which is normally along the lines of “less than what the manufacturer tells you”.
I get confused with the endless list of electric cars on the market. There’s anything from the quirky Nissan Leaf, which has a low range but is just designed for low-mileage drivers who nip to the shops and see friends locally, etc — perfect!
Then you get cars like this EV9. It’s a massive luxurious SUV designed to be a true mile-eater, perfect for long cross-country journeys — that’s if you can find somewhere to charge it, of course.
This problem isn’t unique to the EV9 — anyone with an EV would have to make the same plans as I had to. Making sure you have a full charge when you leave home is essential, and then you must plan where to charge if you don’t have enough range to complete the return journey.
My road trip would take me via Shoreham-by-Sea to pick up my shotgun partner helping with the video shoot, up the M23, M25, and M1, and then straight into Milton Keynes—an easy 137-mile trip which, on paper, could be done on a complete charge.
However, there were a few things against us. The first problem was the outside temperature, which read -2ºC; an EV nightmare as the car already indicated I could only do 245 miles to the charge I had. This is a horrifying 68 miles less than I expected.
The second issue was the absolutely shocking charging infrastructure we have in the UK. On arrival in Milton Keynes with only 20 per cent remaining indicated, it was obvious we’d need to charge as much as possible for the return journey the following day.
So, one hour later and trying more than ten chargers, we had no luck. All the public chargers are designed to be ‘easy’ these days, where, in the main, they accept a simple contactless payment so you can avoid not having apps and different accounts for each different charger.
We never did get to the bottom of why it took us so long to find one working charger, which only charged at 7kw an hour. This charge topped the EV9 to around 70%, allowing an indicated 185-mile range and cost me £45. Sorry, but this just isn’t adding up for me.
BUT WHAT’S THE CAR LIKE?
I’m sorry, but this article really isn’t fair on Kia, as the EV9 is an incredible car to drive about. I just had to get the fact that driving long distances in an EV isn’t a comfortable experience, so EV9 is perfect for those with a fast home charger and can happily find reliable public chargers and can warrant the cost of the super-fast chargers available.
Our test EV9 was a top-of-the-range GT Line S dual-motor with a price tag which matches its looks — chunky! This model comes in at £77,025 on the road, which sounds like a lot, but compared to other high-quality SUVs, it’s actually very, very good.
I’ve owned a Land Rover Discovery in the past, and when you first drive one of those, you’re overwhelmed with the sheer size of it, but the EV9 is a whole new level; this thing feels like you’re in control of a block of flats. The EV9 is longer, wider and just as heavy as a full-fat Range Rover and boasts an impressive range of more than 300 miles on a full charge — when it’s not -2ºC I’d like to add.
It’s a real Marmite car; its futuristic looks, matt paintwork, and vertical headlights come straight from the designer’s sketchpad. You normally see concept drawings of cars which look amazing, and when they’re actually produced, they’re nothing like the original drawings, but in this case, Kia has nailed it.
Inside the EV9, there’s no huge drivetrain going down the centre of the vehicle, so you get loads of space and storage. It’s so roomy and well-thought-out in here. The cabin is full of storage compartments, cup holders, and cubby holes — this car has been designed with practicality in mind from the outset.
There are three versions of the EV9 available, starting at the Air model, which is rear-wheel drive only; the GT Line, which has dual motors; and the GT Line S. The dual motor option drops the expected range from 349 miles to 313 miles (when it’s not -2ºC).
There’s simply not enough room on this page to list of the driving aids and equipment you get in a Kia EV9 as standard. All I can say is if you’re looking to buy a vehicle such as this, then make sure you put the options list side-by-side with other vehicles on the market, and you’ll soon realise this car is good value.
Our test car was the six-seat version, which means the second row are Captain seats, which have been really nicely designed; they’re heated and cooled and can swivel to either face outwards if you’re at the races for example or watching your kids play football, or, they can face the third row allowing everyone to be a bit more sociable.
Although I think Kia has done a fantastic job with the EV9, I believe it will do incredibly well in the UK; however, I think the size of it will put some people off, but if you have a big family, big parking spaces at your local supermarket and a big school drop off point, then this is the big car for you.
