KIA EV9

The highly anticipated Kia EV9 made its UK public debut at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with the three-row, seven-seat flagship electric SUV also taking part in the prestigious hillclimb event.

The car was driven up the 1.16-mile (1.86-kilometre) hill several times throughout the weekend by pro driver Jade Paveley. Jade has competed in various motorsports since the age of 15 and is the end-ofstage reporter for the World Rally Championship and Junior Presenter for the European World Rally Championship. She became the 2021 British Rally Cross Country Championship (BXCC) Class T2 Champion and 2018 Junior Welsh Tarmac Rally Champion. She was also the driver of the EV6 GT when it made its dynamic debut at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

UK pricing and specification for the Kia EV9 was announced back in July, and the line-up will start from £64,495 in the UK, with order books now open for the brand’s new flagship three-row electric SUV.

The Kia EV9 is one of several new models to feature in Kia’s ‘Plan S’ mid- to long-term electrification plan. The strategy will see Kia launch 15 EVs globally by 2027, nine of which are ultimately destined for the UK.

China’s Best-Selling Premium EV Brand, HiPhi, made its first European public showcase of the brand at Goodwood, with the HiPhi Z and HiPhi Y models also making their UK debuts.

The HiPhi Z is an all-electric luxury GT which provides a maximum output of 494kW via dual electric motors, giving acceleration from 0-62mph (100km/h) in 3.8 seconds. The 120kWh battery offers a potential range of over 430 miles (CLTC).

The HiPhi Y, a spacious electric SUV, was also on display, and both vehicles took part in the hillclimb event.

The appearance at Festival of Speed comes on the back of the recent announcement of HiPhi’s expansion into Europe. The HiPhi X and the HiPhi Z are now available to order in Germany and Norway, and customers will soon be able to experience the dual flagship models at Europe’s first HiPhi Hub showroom, located at Munich Airport.

Whilst the Festival of Speed is home to some of the biggest brands in the automotive world, it also saw a new name make its debut.

AIM is a Japanese technology company engaged in automotive research and development including powertrain for internal combustion and electric applications. Designed by SN Design Platform, an independent design company lead by renowned automotive designer Shiro Nakamura, the AIM EV Sport 01 is a concept vehicle developed by the AIM Company Limited based in Nagoya, Japan. First revealed to the public in April, the AIM EV Sport 01 is undergoing testing and evaluation for a potential limited series production run. AIM President and Chief Executive Officer, Yukinori Suzuki said: “The vision for the AIM EV Sport 01 was fast, and enjoyable to drive, while the mainstream trend for EVs is AWD, the character of this car called for a RWD configuration. Having created our own series of advanced electric motors, the AIM EV Sport 01 is also the perfect way to showcase our expertise in advanced powertrain development.”

“Designing sports cars is a complex exercise in packaging, performance and style,” said Shiro Nakamura. “We learned from the spirit of the great sports cars of the past, helped by the RWD configuration and layout. I wanted to express dynamism with sophisticated elegance through a simple, clean design. The EV Sport 01 has minimal form language and avoids exaggerated and complicated surfaces, reminiscent of the great European and Japanese sports cars of the 1960’s. Given that inspiration, it is particularly fitting we can demonstrate our car at Goodwood.”

Although the AIM EV Sport 01 was developed as a concept and showcase for the capabilities of the AIM Company, early reaction to the car following its reveal in April has encouraged the company to develop a feasibility study for a limited series production run. Further, the company is continuing to invest in its own EV powertrain systems for both OEM customers and potentially for its own vehicles beyond the EV Sport 01.