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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Tesla arson suspect pleads guilty, faces up to 70 years in prison
The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
A Las Vegas man has pleaded guilty to federal arson charges tied to a March 2025 attack on a Tesla Collision Center in Nevada.
The update was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Paul Hyon Kim spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the front entrance of the Tesla Collision Center before damaging the facility and multiple vehicles.
Federal prosecutors stated that Kim used a PA-15 multi-caliber firearm equipped with a .300 BLACKOUT upper receiver and a 7.62mm silencer to shoot out surveillance cameras. He then fired multiple rounds into Tesla vehicles on the property.
Authorities stated that Kim later threw three Molotov cocktails into three separate Tesla vehicles. Two of the devices exploded and ignited the vehicles, while a third did not detonate. In total, five Tesla vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Kim pleaded guilty to two counts of arson of property used in interstate commerce, one count of attempted arson of property used in interstate commerce, and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm classified as a destructive device.
The mandatory minimum sentence for the charges is five years in federal prison, though the total maximum statutory penalty is 70 years, as per a release from the United States Attorney’s Office of the District of Nevada.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. A federal judge will determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Clark County Fire Department.
Elon Musk
SpaceX pursues 5G-level connectivity with Starlink Mobile V2 expansion
SpaceX noted that the upcoming Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current first-generation system.
SpaceX has previewed a major upgrade to Starlink Mobile, outlining next-generation satellites that aim to deliver significantly higher capacity and full 5G-level connectivity directly to mobile phones.
The update comes as Starlink rebrands its Direct-to-Cell service to Starlink Mobile, positioning the platform as a scalable satellite-to-mobile solution that’s integrated with global telecom partners.
SpaceX noted that the upcoming Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current first-generation system. The company also noted that the new V2 satellites are designed to provide significantly higher throughput capability compared to its current iteration.
“The next generation of Starlink Mobile satellites – V2 – will deliver full cellular coverage to places never thought possible via the highest performing satellite-to-mobile network ever built.
“Driven by custom SpaceX-designed silicon and phased array antennas, the satellites will support thousands of spatial beams and higher bandwidth capability, enabling around 20x the throughput capability as compared to a first-generation satellite,” SpaceX wrote in its official Starlink Mobile page.
Thanks to the higher bandwidth of Starlink Mobile, users should be able to stream, browse the internet, use high-speed apps, and enjoy voice services comparable to terrestrial cellular networks.
In most environments, Starlink says the upgraded system will enable full 5G cellular connectivity with a user experience similar to existing ground-based networks.
The satellites function as “cell towers in space,” using advanced phased-array antennas and laser interlinks to integrate with terrestrial infrastructure in a roaming-like architecture.
“Starlink Mobile works with existing LTE phones wherever you can see the sky. The satellites have an antenna that acts like a cellphone tower in space, the most advanced phased array antennas in the world that connect seamlessly over lasers to any point in the globe, allowing network integration similar to a standard roaming partner,” SpaceX wrote.
Starlink Mobile currently operates with approximately 650 satellites in low-Earth orbit and is active across more than 32 countries, representing over 1.7 billion people through partnerships with mobile network operators. Starlink Mobile’s current partnerships span North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, allowing reciprocal access across participating nations.
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Tesla FSD (Supervised) fleet passes 8.4 billion cumulative miles
The figure appears on Tesla’s official safety page, which tracks performance data for FSD (Supervised) and other safety technologies.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system has now surpassed 8.4 billion cumulative miles.
The figure appears on Tesla’s official safety page, which tracks performance data for FSD (Supervised) and other safety technologies.
Tesla has long emphasized that large-scale real-world data is central to improving its neural network-based approach to autonomy. Each mile driven with FSD (Supervised) engaged contributes additional edge cases and scenario training for the system.
The milestone also brings Tesla closer to a benchmark previously outlined by CEO Elon Musk. Musk has stated that roughly 10 billion miles of training data may be needed to achieve safe unsupervised self-driving at scale, citing the “long tail” of rare but complex driving situations that must be learned through experience.
The growth curve of FSD Supervised’s cumulative miles over the past five years has been notable.
As noted in data shared by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, annual FSD (Supervised) miles have increased from roughly 6 million in 2021 to 80 million in 2022, 670 million in 2023, 2.25 billion in 2024, and 4.25 billion in 2025. In just the first 50 days of 2026, Tesla owners logged another 1 billion miles.
At the current pace, the fleet is trending towards hitting about 10 billion FSD Supervised miles this year. The increase has been driven by Tesla’s growing vehicle fleet, periodic free trials, and expanding Robotaxi operations, among others.
With the fleet now past 8.4 billion cumulative miles, Tesla’s supervised system is approaching that threshold, even as regulatory approval for fully unsupervised deployment remains subject to further validation and oversight.
Tesla arson suspect pleads guilty, faces up to 70 years in prison
SpaceX pursues 5G-level connectivity with Starlink Mobile V2 expansion
