Kia unveils EV9 concept electric SUV, Carens ambulance at Auto Expo 2023

The South Korean automaker announced that it would invest Rs 2,000 crore over the next few years in the EV segment

South Korean automaker Kia revealed its EV9 concept electric SUV at the Auto Expo 2023 today. The company said it would launch locally produced electric vehicles (EVs) in India by 2025. It also aims to have over 100 outlets in India and plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore over the next four years to scale up its presence in the electric vehicle segment.

The company said its cumulative sales crossed 8 million in 2022 and India is among its priority markets. It currently sells a single battery electric model in the country and has plans to introduce a locally manufactured product in 2025.

"We (Kia) have already announced globally that we will be investing $22 billion to come up with 14 battery electric vehicles and obviously we will be looking at some of these products for the India market as well," an official of the company said. 

Kia had previously launched its EV6 in India but it comes through an import route and the price is around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom).

The company said the design of EV9 is inspired by water element and has a wide panoramic sunroof. It could go into production by the end of 2024. The car has dot-pattern headlamps with L-shaped DRLs flanking the front end and blanked-off signature tiger-nose grilles. There are prominent creases visible on the front. It will be launched with a range of 450 km. 

The company also displayed its ambulance based on Carens, which will be run on diesel. It will have 6 airbags, a fire extinguisher, paramedic kit, and attendant seat. All the wheels will have a disc brake and will have the capacity to carry 2 oxygen cylinders and a stretcher bed. 

Besides, it also features a 27-inch display screen and a panoramic sunroof. The Kia EV9 concept car's battery pack is 77.4 kWh in size which is expected to give the SUV a range of about 540 kilometres.

Tea-Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India said that the company will replace 20 per cent plastic parts with recycled plastic by 2030 and they will collaborate with NGOs and recycle plastic.

"The company will produce an EV made in India for India by 2025. We will require few hardware and software changes to meet new RDE norms," said Myunk Sik Sohn, chief sales officer, Kia India.