Kia EV9: An Affordable SUV with Bidirectional Charging

The Kia EV9 has been named the ‘World's Best Car for 2024’ at the Women's Worldwide Car of the Year, out of 63 contenders. 

The EV9 offers seven seats and advanced technology in the electric SUV segment, including features such as bidirectional charging and ultra-fast charging capabilities.

The car has won a number of other awards, such as ‘Top Three in the World’ finalist contender for the 2024 World Car Awards, the ‘Family Cars’ category at the Golden Steering Wheel 2023 and ‘German Luxury Car of the Year 2024’.

EV9: Affordable with advanced technology

At the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year awards, judges praised the EV9 for its affordability and user-friendliness, making it a groundbreaking addition to the electric vehicle market. The EV9’s aerodynamics and advanced technology adds to the allure of the flagship SUV, especially in winter conditions.

“The uber-practical Kia EV9 could be the vehicle that gets more drivers out of their petrol or diesel car than any other model. Seven seats, loaded with technology, premium quality and enough miles from the battery to cure almost every case of range anxiety – plus it’s fantastic to drive, too,” said John Challen, Co-Chairman, UK Car of the Year Awards. “The fact that nearly half of our judging panel chose the Kia as the UK Car of the Year 2024 is a massive vote of confidence in what is a seriously impressive and hugely appealing car.”

“It is a huge honour for Kia UK to be awarded a category win and the overall Car of the Year accolade in this year’s UK Car of the Year Awards,” said Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia UK. “We’re delighted that the judges agree just how impressive the EV9 is. The recognition is made all the more significant, having been judged by some of the UK’s most influential and respected journalists from across automotive, business and technology industries.” 

Its predecessor, Kia EV6, has been celebrated as a great choice of SUV, with a serious, fun exterior design. The car featured in ‘Top 10 best-selling electric vehicles in the US’ for 2023.

Read it here.

Kia’s bidirectional charging offers light in the darkness

In the northern parts of Norway, the earth rotates to a point where the sun stays hidden from October to February, creating a magical backdrop for the Northern Lights against the ice. Yet in the summer, the sun does not set from April to August, creating the phenomenon of the midnight sun. These conditions are certainly a challenge for solar farms - but there are also healthcare problems. A lack of sunlight can lower a person’s energy levels, damage their mental health and immune system. Meanwhile, prolonged sunlight can wreck sleep patterns.

To highlight the impact of this, Kia set up a temporary sun, a 5 metre LED disc powered by a Kia EV9, in an experiential design studio called VOID. It was made with the help of creative agency Innocean. 

Bidirectional charging allows energy to flow into and out of a vehicle, which is managed by Kia Smart Charge.

“The EV9 is exciting when moving, but also when stationary, with innovative features such as bidirectional charging,” said David Hilbert, Head of Marketing, Kia Europe. “This technology can extend the role electric vehicles play in our lives, whether it’s for camping, providing a power source for a mobile office, or even being part of the broader electricity grid with the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology.”   

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