Hyundai is preparing to launch the Ioniq 9 electric car: what is known about the new product

Competition in the electric vehicle market is getting tougher. This is evidenced, in particular, by the fact that next month the South Korean brand Hyundai will introduce a new seven-seater Ioniq 9, which should be a response to the release of the Volvo EX90.

According to Autocar, the new product, twinned with the Kia EV9, will be a development of the Seven concept, which the manufacturer introduced three years ago. Although it was originally announced as the Ioniq 7, it was later renamed the "nine".

The Ioniq 9 will use the same extended version of the e-GMP platform as its twin and will likely also have the same 99.8 kWh battery. As with the EV9, buyers will be offered powertrain options with a single 200 hp engine and two engines with a combined output of 378 hp. In Kia, they provide a range of 560 and 505 km, respectively.

The SUV is likely to get a hot N version, given that the EV9 "GT" version has already been spotted testing at the Nürburgring. This suggests that the Ioniq 9 will use the same twin-engine all-wheel drive powerplant with a capacity of 641 hp as the Ioniq 5 N.

Unlike the more square EV9, the Ioniq 9 will feature a sloping roof and a more curved body. Nevertheless, the model will retain elements of the Seven concept, including the headlight profile and the expanding rear. The designers also used the familiar frameless windows and rear doors, and the Ioniq 9 prototypes were spotted with traditional B and C pillars and conventional door handles.

As for the interior, it will most closely resemble the Hyundai Santa Fe. As with other Hyundai models such as the Kona, physical controls will be retained for the audio system and climate control. But less global functions, such as air direction, will be displayed on a touchscreen panel between climate indicators. The new Ioniq 9 will have the same gear selector as the Santa Fe. The first samples of the Ioniq 9 are expected to go on sale next year.

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