Electric car, Italy brings up the rear in Europe.Despite the many (and interesting) new features coming

Italy in last place for electric cars in the first 10 months.Yet, the offer is growing.Last example the Kia EV9:7 seats and almost 600 kilometers of autonomy.We tried it.

The car market in Europe has been growing steadily for 15 months, with +14.1 percent in October.Sifting through the data communicated byUnrae, an association that brings together the majority of manufacturers, with 1 million 39 thousand 253 registrations, the increase is 14.1 percent.Nevertheless… In the first 10 months of the year, Italy was in last place for the sale of electric cars.And this despite the fact that the offer is constantly enriching and differentiating;the last example is electric Kia EV9, an extra large 7-seater SUV designed for families and fleets.In short, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and even Spain continue to show greater interest in electric cars, currently by far the most sustainable and efficient choice that can be made, at least for private mobility.

So?“They exist geographic, structural and income gaps that separate us from other countries,” he clarified Andrea Cardinali, Unrae general manager.“To move on from 3.9 percent electric penetration at numbers less distant from those of other European countries, there are things to do that should be done, first of all correcting the current incentive scheme which is not working".True, Cardinali alludes to90% surplus of unused electricity funds.In short, new rules are needed.Because the choice is now vast and segmented.Think of the Kia EV9, one of the few electric 7-seaters on the market, flexible in its purchase formulas, with almost 600 kilometers of autonomy, a “circular” cockpit (we will explain better later) and the all-wheel drive for those who also want electric for weekends in nature.

Kia EV9, what it offers in summary

Kia describes it as "the large and revolutionary 100 percent electric SUV".Perhaps they exaggerate, at least on the revolutionary level, although as we will see there is no shortage of innovation.While on the large one, (EV9 is long 5 meters, almost 2 meters wide…), there is no doubt;let's say that it is, at least dimensionally, far from an idea of ​​"urban mobility”.Space, comfort and habitability for 7 people are the watchwords.With a cockpit that immediately shows a lot of attention to what we at LifeGate have long defined as driving serenity, that is, those aspects of acoustic comfort, space, visibility and attention to people that make a car an "instrument" that allows long and peaceful journeys, precisely.

The credit goes to many aspects:the driving assistance systems that allow you to experience (not yet in Italy, unfortunately...) level 3 of autonomous driving, the over 540 kilometers of declared autonomy, those 15 minutes of ultra-fast charging (thanks to the 800 volt battery pack) which allow you to continue your journey certain of having recovered over 200 kilometers in the time of a coffee.Not a little for the detractors of the electric car.On the other hand, Kia have removed "Motors" from their name and have declared their intention to transform themselves into a "sustainable mobility solutions provider”.

7 seats and seats that become (almost) beds

On the design as always we leave every consideration to you;whoever designed the Kia EV9 says he sought a "perfect balance of natural elements and modernity".We have already given you the dimensions, perfect for long family trips, for weekends, less so for urban travel.The fact that matters, however, is the favorable one aerodynamics which, despite its size, achieves excellent results in terms of efficiency.But the most interesting aspect of the Kia EV9 is discovered once on board.If you are looking for flexibility in a car, you will really like this one:6 or 7 seats, 2 or 3 rows of seats, possibility of creating a rear "lounge", a huge boot.And then swivel seats, or which they almost transform into chaise longue, to make the most of your charging breaks, numerous storage compartments, charging points for tablets and smartphones, cup holders... Functionality included vehicle-to-load which allows you to use the car's energy (up to 3.6 KW) to recharge, for example, ae-bikes and a scooter to keep in the trunk for the last mile.

10 things to know about circularity on the EV9

We mentioned it at the beginning.Among Kia's objectives is to reach the carbon neutrality by 2045, evidently going beyond the offer of "simple" increasingly electric cars (15 new electric vehicles scheduled by 2027 at a global level), but by acting on the production processes and the supply chain.A commitment that also passes through the growing use of ecological, sustainable materials.Here, in this sense EV9 is the first model created according to what Kia calls the "Design sustainability strategy", which involves the gradual elimination of skin and the growing use of materials biobased, such as corn, sugar cane and natural oils, with the aim of reaching up to 20 percent recycled plastic on board new models by 2030.In short, a commitment that shows how the car can increasingly become an example of circularity.Let's see how by analyzing the interiors of the Kia EV9.

1. Bioplastic
   That is, plastic produced from renewable sources such as biomass, vegetable oils, corn extract, sawdust and sugar cane:present in internal components such as dashboard, pillars, stylistic details.
2. Post-consumer material (PCM) plastic
   Plastic made using recycled materials from existing products.In short, secondary material, used in this case for the door seals.
3. Bio Pu
   Instead of animal leather, Bio polyurethane.Product of plant origin, ensures comfort, support, elasticity, durability and breathability.
4. Recycled PET fabric
   PET, characterized by high resistance to scratches, humidity and solvents, is used in the recycled yarns that make up part of the interiors (seats, headliner, sun visors, headrests);Kia claims that “each EV9 uses the equivalent of at least 70 recycled bottles”
5. Recycled PET carpet
   Recycled PET is also used to make the mats that cover the "floor", with part of the material made from recycled fishing nets (Kia has long activated numerous projects to capture ghost nets abandoned on the seabed) .
6. Bio PU foam
   Polyurethane (PU) foam, a material made with natural oils, offers the resistance and elasticity of polyurethane without the environmental problems:in this case we find it in the headrests.
7. Bio paint
   Made using rapeseed oil, is used on the door switch panels.
8. BTX-free paint
   Kia has eliminated the use of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) for paints used for interiors:same protection and quality but reduction of polluting chemicals.
9. Recycled PET yarn
   A thread made from recycled PET bottles is used for the stitching of the seats.
10. Recycled PET felt
    The felt obtained, soft and resistant, with sound absorption qualities, is present in the bottom of the trunk.

Parking:worried about the size?Leave it all to her

And now we come to some technical data, which varies significantly depending on whether it is version a 2 or 4 wheel drive.The battery always has a power of 99.8 kWh;the electric motor provides 150 kW of power, power that in the “AWd” all-wheel drive version, equipped with 2 electric motors, rises to 283 kW.In short, even though it is large and heavy, the EV9 moves with a certain agility in all situations. Excluded in car parks – given the extra large measures – where, however, “automated parking” comes to the rescue, allowing you to let the car carry out the entire maneuver (even remotely, i.e. from outside the car):from finding the right space to managing the accelerator, brakes and gearbox.

Worried? You shouldn't:to watch over your safety (and that of other road users) there are hosts of ultrasonic sensors, ready to intervene if necessary.The cruise control is good, "smart" because it also considers traffic and navigator data.In short, we could summarize the Kia EV9 driving experience in one word, rewarding. The prices? Kia EV9 has a price list that starts from 76,450 euros and rises depending on the versions.The alternative to purchasing are the formulas leasing, increasingly widespread also for electric.

The advantages of staying connected (even by car…)

On theconnected car and its advantages we have returned several times:it is no longer an option.In this case Kia offers convincing features, such as on-demand software updates which reduce trips to the dealership, the possibility (always on demand) of obtaining a boost, greater electrical power from the engine (although in our test it didn't seem necessary, it could be useful if you plan to often travel fully loaded, perhaps 7 people with their luggage).More useful is the possibility (which we have not verified) to exploit one digital key thanks to which you can open and start the car from your smartphone.