This story contains a speculative illustration by Thanos Pappas that is not related to or endorsed by Kia
With performance details of the new 2024 Kia EV9 finally revealed, some may have been a little disappointed that the quickest dual-motor version of the SUV could only do the 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) sprint in a fairly average (for an EV) 6.0 seconds. But there’s good news, as the company has confirmed that engineers are working on a hotter GT version of the EV9 that will debut in 2025.
Speaking to media, including CarScoops, ahead of the EV9’s North American debut at the New York International Motor Show, Kia Motors President and CEO Ho Sung Song confirmed that the demand for a high-performance version of the EV9 had been recognized and that the company is currently working on a GT model that will debut in the next two years.
Related: 2024 Kia EV9 Detailed, Offers Power Boost Via Subscription And Up To 338 Miles Of Range
2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line pictured
“We are aware of the growing demand for high-performance vehicles in the electric era,” said Song. “Building on the success of the Kia EV6 GT, we are happy to announce that we are currently developing a high-performance version of the EV9, which will aim to redefine what performance means in an electric SUV. We plan to release the GT version of the EV9 in early 2025.”
While we’re likely some way off getting official specs of the EV9 GT, we expect the drivetrain to borrow from the acclaimed EV6 GT. The latter features a combined 576 hp (429 kW) and 545 lb-ft (738 Nm) of torque with a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup. If such a configuration were to migrate to the EV9 GT, we should expect the large performance-oriented SUV to achieve a sub-4.0-second 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) time— but at the loss of range.
Expect more details to be released closer to the EV9 GT’s launch date of early 2025.
