This is why the Kia EV9’s wheels look so strange
- Kia’s all-electric award-winning EV9 has won awards
- The car’s wheels have been a bit of a talking point
- Kia’s Vice President has revealed the design all comes down to aerodynamics
Published on Jul 05, 2024 at 5:17 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jul 05, 2024 at 7:29 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
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.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Across her career she's covered a wide variety of topics, including celebrity, cryptocurrency, politics, true crime and just about everything in between.
