2024 Kia EV9 Long-Term Review: Efficiency, Charging Costs, and Real-World Performance

10 Months and 10,000 Miles Later: How Is the Kia EV9 Holding Up?

After 10 months and over 10,000 miles on the road, the 2024 Kia EV9 Land has proven to be a reliable and practical long-term electric SUV. Apart from a recall addressing a blank digital instrument panel issue, the EV9 has remained largely trouble-free. Since resolving that issue via a software update, the vehicle has continued to perform well, accumulating significant mileage—particularly over the holiday travel period.

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Cold Weather Impact: Declining Efficiency

Electric vehicles often experience efficiency drops in cold weather, and the Kia EV9 is no exception. Previously, the EV9’s trip computer showed an efficiency of 2.95 miles per kilowatt-hour (kWh), but that number has dipped to 2.6 miles per kWh due to frigid temperatures and highway travel. On the coldest days in the Chicagoland region, efficiency plummeted to as low as 1.8 miles per kWh.

Despite the reduced range in colder conditions, the EV9 consistently charged without issues and never left us stranded. As temperatures rise, we anticipate an improvement in energy efficiency.

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What’s the Cost of Charging the Kia EV9?

Charging costs vary depending on location and charging method. Since surpassing 10,000 miles, our observed charging expenses have more than doubled. Initially, the EV9 came with 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging from Electrify America, but we now have only 89 kWh remaining—enough for a single 10% to 90% charge.

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Excluding free charging, our total observed charging costs have reached $1,239.12. Notably, DC fast charging has accounted for $1,056.91 of that total, with an average session cost of $30.20. This reinforces the fact that public fast charging remains significantly more expensive than home charging.

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Charging Behavior: Home vs. Public Fast Charging

Our EV9 has been plugged in over 80 times, with each DC fast-charging session averaging 30 minutes. Charging times tend to increase when charging beyond 80%, as fast-charging speeds slow considerably at higher states of charge.

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Interestingly, we’ve seen instances where peak charging rates exceeded the rated 210 kW maximum, but more often than not, charging speeds remained below 200 kW. Various factors such as battery temperature, ambient temperature, and charger functionality contribute to these fluctuations.

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Public Charging Experience: Improving but Still Inconsistent

Public EV charging infrastructure has long been a point of contention for EV owners. Fortunately, our experience in the Chicago area suggests improvements. Fewer issues with broken or offline chargers have been reported by our editors compared to past experiences.

However, challenges persist. Some fast-charging stations do not support 210 kW, and battery preconditioning is still an essential factor for optimal charging performance. While public charging reliability is better than before, there is still room for growth.

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Home Charging: A Convenient and Cost-Effective Alternative

For those with home charging setups, the Kia EV9’s overnight charging routine makes ownership highly convenient. Charging overnight ensures the battery is full by morning, much like charging a smartphone. Home charging also adds more range per session compared to frequent public fast charging, making it the preferred method for most EV owners.

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Final Thoughts: A Reliable Long-Term EV

With 10,000 miles behind us, the 2024 Kia EV9 Land continues to be a compelling all-electric SUV. While cold weather efficiency dips and charging expenses are concerns, the overall experience remains positive. Kia’s software updates, steady charging performance, and improving public charging infrastructure make the EV9 a worthy option for long-term EV ownership.

We look forward to testing the EV9 further in warmer months to evaluate its efficiency gains and real-world performance under different conditions. Stay tuned for our next update!

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