- Showcased as a concept last year

- Will be the flagship electric SUV

Kia has taken to the Nurburgring to test their next electric SUV. Dropping some camouflage over the previous sighting, the EV9 prototype spotted at the ‘Ring is now wearing a production-ready body. When it arrives sometime next year, the EV9 will be the largest flagship electric SUV from Kia.

Showcased as a concept at the 2021 LA Motor Show, the EV9 carries a boxy body style. Similar to what was seen in the concept form, the production-ready body has an upright nose, a flat roof and a sleek futuristic lighting signature. Under the camouflage, the trademark Kia grille and headlamp setup with a modern touch seen on the concept is recognisable. Even the character crease above the rear wheel arch seen on the concept is present on the prototype. The clamshell hood, flush door handles, sensors on the front lower bumper, and cameras on the ORVM are also visible on the prototype.

Unlike the concept, there’s no panoramic sunroof visible here. And toning down from the concept’s unique tri-designed wheels, the five-spoke ones seen here might not be offered on the production model. Instead, it will get multispoke, modern-design alloy wheels which will also carry some aero benefits.

The production-ready EV9 will be based on the newly-developed E-GMP architecture. In the production guise, Kia promises 540 kilometres of range, 350kW fast charging support, and a sub-five second 0-100kmph time. No other technical details about the EV9 are available at the moment.

According to Kia’s electrification plan, we could expect the EV9 to arrive as early as next year, across global markets including North America, Europe and Asia. India-debut is also expected.