Kia EV9 Gains Bidirectional Charging Solution

Kia partnered with Wallbox to offer bidirectional chargers to EV9 owners. From the first half of Q1 2024, Kia aims to provide its EV9 customers with Wallbox’s Quasar 2 charger. The charger is designed to transfer energy both ways, which means that it can move energy from the vehicle to the house as well as from the vehicle back to the grid. This technology will enable EV9 owners to not only charge their vehicles but also to use the energy stored in their vehicles to power their homes.

Bidirectional Charging Solution

The Kia EV9 comes in two battery pack sizes – 76.1 kWh and 99.8 kWh. This makes it a reliable backup generator during emergencies. According to Wallbox, the Kia EV9’s battery has the potential to power a typical household for up to four days. The EV9 has already won the luxury category in the German Car of the Year 2024 award, succeeding the EV6. It’s worth noting that the EV6 had previously won the European Car of the Year 2022 title. The EV9 has two variants: the single-motor RWD and the Dual-Motor AWD. The Long Range single-motor RWD EV9 can travel up to 336 miles on a single charge. Additionally, the EV9 competed against all models with a base price below $75,511.80 (plus destination fee) to win the German Car of the Year award.

“As Kia’s new flagship, the EV9 plays a pivotal role in transforming our brand into a leading EV provider. With its extraordinarily variable and spacious interior, striking design, and ultra-fast charging technology, it sets new standards in the SUV segment,” said Won-Jeong Jeong, President of Kia Europe.

The latest bidirectional charging technology from Wallbox was recently demonstrated by Douglas Alfaro, the Chief Business Officer, at Hyundai Motor Group’s proving grounds in California. This innovative technology enables electric vehicles to charge from the grid and discharge energy back into it.

During the demonstration, Alfaro connected a Quasar 2 charger to a Kia EV9, which began charging automatically. To showcase common energy users, Wallbox had set up various household appliances, such as lights, appliances, and air conditioning, on a table next to the charger. Alfaro then demonstrated how the charger automatically switched direction to pull energy from the EV9 to power all the devices when he cut the grid power.

According to Wallbox, Kia’s smaller pack has over five times the capacity of a standard home energy storage system, which allows the lights to stay on for an extended period, even during blackouts or bad weather. Moreover, the charger can detect peak energy demands on the grid and pause EV charging until energy costs are lower later in the evening.

This demonstration using the EV9 marks the first time Wallbox has showcased its bidirectional charging technology live in the US.

Southern Kia Virginia Beach

As a Kia EV9 owner, you can benefit from bidirectional charging. This technology enables you to sell surplus energy from your electric vehicle directly to the local power grid and potentially earn money. To discover the full range of KIA EV9s, visit Southern Kia Virginia Beach.