Hyundai, Kia stun LA auto show with SEVEN, EV9 concept cars

Hyundai Motor Co. and sister firm Kia Corp. on Thursday unveiled their latest concept sport utility vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show as the two largest automakers in South Korea strengthen their all-electric SUV lineups.

At the AutoMobility trade show, Hyundai showcased SEVEN, an all-electric SUV concept that would be the IONIQ 7, its first large-size SUV under its standalone electric vehicle sub-brand.

The company will officially roll out the IONIQ 7 SUV in 2024, following its launch in February this year of the IONIQ 5, a crossover utility vehicle (CUV), and the IONIQ 6, a mid-size sedan due out in the first half of next year.

The three models sit on Hyundai Motor Group’s self-developed EV platform, the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which will underpin all forthcoming electric cars from both Hyundai and Kia.

The SEVEN concept has space for seven passengers and aims to travel more than 482 kilometers on a single charge.

It is also equipped with the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which allows customers to charge electric devices such as coffee machines and electric bicycles.

The concept car comes with the IONIQ EV brand's signature design elements, including the parametric pixels.

Hyundai said SEVEN embodies its future vision of autonomous mobility. The driver’s seat features a retractable control stick that hides away when not in use.

“SEVEN dares to break from the beaten path,” said SangYup Lee, senior vice president and head of Hyundai Global Design.

“SEVEN paves the way forward for what an SUV needs to become in the EV era with a unique aerodynamic pure form that does not compromise on its rugged personality.”

KIA’S EV9

At the AutoMobility, Kia, Korea’s second-largest automaker, unveiled the EV9 concept, a pure-electric seven-seat SUV prototype.

The concept is pitched as the future flagship model of Kia’s all-electric lineup.

Like the Kia EV6, a mid-size crossover utility vehicle (CUV) the company unveiled in March, the EV9 will also sit on the group’s E-GMP platform.

The concept EV9 promises to deliver a driving range of 482 km on a single charge.

It also features ultra-fast charging technology with a 350-kW charger that allows its powertrain to replenish energy from 10% to 80% in 20-30 minutes, according to Kia.

CANDIDATES FOR CARS OF THE YEAR

Hyundai Motor Group said it will strive to enhance its presence in the US market in the coming years by launching a series of new electric cars and SUVs.

The IONIQ 5 and the Genesis GV70 on Thursday made to the list of finalists for the 2022 SUV of the Year for the 2022 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year (NACTOY) Awards to be announced early next year.

Hyundai’s Santa Cruz was also named a final candidate for NACTOY’s 2022 Truck of the Year.

Contenders for the NACTOY awards, among the world’s most honorable auto awards, include the Ford Bronco, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Volkswagen’s ID.4.

Hyundai Motor Group has said it will introduce 23 fully electric models and sell 1 million units a year globally by 2025.

Write to Il-Gue Kim at Black0419@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.