Hyundai, Kia unveil electric concept SUVs at LA auto show

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. said Thursday they have unveiled their electric concept SUVs at the Los Angeles Auto Show as they strengthen their all-electric portfolios in line with rival carmakers' electrification push.

Hyundai and Kia debuted the large-sized "Seven" and flagship "EV9" concept models built on Hyundai Motor Group's dedicated EV platform, called E-GMP, at the US motor show during a two-day media preview on Nov. 17 and 18.

The carmakers are planning to gradually phase out combustion-engine cars in global markets as governments are adopting more aggressive policies to fight climate change.

The Seven concept has space for seven passengers and aims to travel more than 482 kilometers on a single charge. The EV9 also would get over 482 km on one charge.

The vehicle-to-load (V2L) function is available in the two models. The V2L function serves as a charger on wheels, allowing customers to charge electric devices, such as coffee machines and electric bicycles.

The Seven comes with the group's IONIQ battery EV brand's signature design elements, which include Parametric Pixels, the smallest unit of digital imaging. The EV9 was developed under Kia's new design philosophy "Opposites United," which embodies its shifting focus toward electrification, the companies said. 

Prices and further details about the models will be released later.

In April, Hyundai Motor launched the IONIQ 5 midsize crossover utility vehicle, the first model embedded with the E-GMP platform to strengthen its presence in the eco-friendly vehicle market.

The maker of the Sonata sedan and the Palisade SUV also plans to introduce the IONIQ 6 midsize sedan in 2022 and the IONIQ 7 large SUV in 2024. It will begin using alphanumeric names like its bigger rivals, such as BMW, whose models are named Series No. 1-8.

Earlier this month, Kia announced it will sell only EVs in Europe from 2035 and in other major markets from 2040.

The EV9 is the second model embedded with the E-GMP platform after the EV6 sedan.

Kia plans to beef up its EV lineup with 11 models, including seven E-GMP-based ones, by 2025.

Hyundai and Kia together form the world's fifth-biggest carmaker by sales. (Yonhap)