Kia has released the specifications for the upcoming EV9, the Korean automaker’s first full-size electric SUV.
Until recently, electric vehicle offerings for those looking to travel with more than five people have been relatively limited, especially as vehicles like the Rivian R1S remain fairly supply constrained. Luckily, Kia is moving in to meet that market with its new EV9 full-size electric SUV, which it has now released the specifications for.
The upcoming Kia EV9, which will be available in select markets later this year, comes with two battery options; either a “standard-range” 76.1kWh battery or a “long-range” 99.8kWh battery. Further, customers can choose from a single-motor rear-wheel-drive system or a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system.
With the long-range RWD system, owners can expect 336 miles of range, an incredible number considering the massive size of the upcoming EV9. However, Kia did not release range specifications for other vehicle trims.
With a total length of just under 16.5 feet, the Kia EV9 is roughly the same length as the Tesla Model X and just shy of the size of a Chevy Tahoe. But coming in at almost 5’10” tall, the EV9 is significantly shorter than the Tahoe while slightly taller than the Model X.
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- Credit: Kia
It is clear from the EV9’s performance specifications that the vehicle focuses on people carrying, not eye-watering performance. The base model’s long-range RWD variant takes nearly 10 seconds (9.4 seconds) to reach 60mph from a standstill. For those looking for slightly more performance, Kia offers a minor motor upgrade with the standard range variant, improving horsepower from 200 to 215 while retaining the same 258 pound-feet of torque, cutting the 0-60 time to 8.2 seconds.
The highest performance trim, the dual-motor AWD system, produces a significantly more impressive 379 horsepower and a very healthy 442 pound-feet of torque. Kia states that this trim will take off to 60 in 6 seconds and can even be upgraded via software to improve acceleration, dropping the 0-60 to 5.3 seconds.
Outside of these mechanical specifications, the Kia EV9 pioneers the use of more sustainable materials, which Kia says will become increasingly more common in all of its upcoming models. This includes recycled plastics and numerous plant-based materials, such as sugar cane, corn, and “natural oils.”
Looking at the Kia EV9 as a whole, the automaker’s design philosophy becomes more apparent, and the connection to its logical competitor, the Tesla Model X, becomes less clear. Kia is offering a people-carrying-focused experience that isn’t going to shock anyone when you take off down a highway onramp. Nor is the Korean company offering a “take on the world” off-roader akin to the Rivian R1S. And nowhere are these choices more apparent than in the vehicle’s interior.
Opening the massive doors to the EV9, you are greeted with two sets of captain’s chairs, not bucket seats, and a set of rear captain’s chairs that will pivot and swivel to face the window or even third-row occupants. Kia has one target market in mind; families.
-->Kia is showing off the EV9 in person starting later this month at the Seoul Auto Show in South Korea, followed by an appearance at the New York Auto Show in early April. Kia will launch the EV9 later this year and reveal pricing information closer to launch, though many expect a competitive price point for the Korean family hauler.
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News
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reveals what will make Optimus’ ridiculous production targets feasible
Musk recent post suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
Elon Musk subtly teased Tesla’s strategy to achieve Optimus’ insane production volume targets. The CEO has shared his predictions about Optimus’ volume, and they are so ambitious that one would mistake them for science fiction.
Musk’s recent post on X, however, suggests that Tesla has a plan to attain Optimus’ production goals.
The highest volume product
Elon Musk has been pretty clear about the idea of Optimus being Tesla’s highest-volume product. During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-per-year line at the Fremont Factory.
Following this, Musk stated that Giga Texas will receive a 10 million-per-year unit Optimus line. But even at this level, the Optimus ramp is just beginning, as the production of the humanoid robot will only accelerate from there. At some point, the CEO stated that a Mars location could even have a 100 million-unit-per-year production line, resulting in up to a billion Optimus robots being produced per year.
Self-replication is key
During the weekend, Musk posted a short message that hinted at Tesla’s Optimus strategy. “Optimus will be the Von Neumann probe,” the CEO wrote in his post. This short comment suggests that Tesla will not be relying on traditional production systems to make Optimus. The company probably won’t even hire humans to produce the humanoid robot at one point. Instead, Optimus robots could simply produce other Optimus robots, allowing them to self-replicate.
-->The Von Neumann is a hypothetical self-replicating spacecraft proposed by the mathematician and physicist John von Neumann in the 1940s–1950s. The hypothetical machine in the concept would be able to travel to a new star system or location, land, mine, and extract raw materials from planets, asteroids, and moons as needed, use those materials to manufacture copies of itself, and launch the new copies toward other star systems.
If Optimus could pull off this ambitious target, the humanoid robot would indeed be the highest volume product ever created. It could, as Musk predicted, really change the world.
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
