This is why the Kia EV9’s wheels look so strange

Kia has explained why the wheels on its new EV look so strange and it’s all to do with aerodynamics. 

The South Korean car manufacturer’s latest all-electric vehicle, EV9, is something a bit special and has already earned itself several awards – including the 2024 World Car of the Year. 

As you’d expect from an award-winner, the car has some impressive features – such as a range of up to 304 miles; fast charging that takes it from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 24 minutes; driver assist; and up to 379 horsepower. 

However, some folks couldn’t help but notice that the wheels of the EV9 look a bit… well weird. 

READ MORE! Kia EV6 GT named one of the best inventions of 2023 for its ‘life-changing’ innovativeness

Kia Vice President explains thinking behind the unusual wheel design

Now, Teck-Koun Kim, Vice President and Head of Kia Next Design Group, has explained why the team settled on the design and it all comes down to the aerodynamics of electric cars. 

“One of the challenges on EV wheels is the aerodynamic efficiency,” he told CarBuzz. 

“We cannot really make a lot of holes with a typical traditional spoke-oriented design. 

“The more closed, the better the aerodynamics. That was one challenge.”

Kia was so deadset on creating the perfect wheel design they even set up a dedicated team to focus on just that. 

This team eventually hit on the perfect design, using geometric shapes that offered the best possible aerodynamic requirements for an EV while still looking pretty funky and adding ‘unique visual appeal’. 

The EV9 is packed full of cool features

This attention to detail extends to the EV9’s interior, which is roomy and bristling with tech. 

With room for up to seven people, the EV9 offers more passenger room than the 2023 Tesla Model X and 2023 BMW X7. 

It’s also fitted with a top-notch ‘fully-immersive’ 14-Speaker Meridian audio system with subwoofer and external amplifier; while you can take customization to the next level with the ability to set the mood with dual color lighting options for the footwell and door trim. 

A large digital cockpit provides the driver with important information, including multi-camera views. 

All in all, it’s an impressive bit of kit – regardless of whether you like those wheels or not.