Kia EV9 Towing Capacity
The Kia EV9 is rated to tow up to 5,000 lb with the factory tow package — the same rating on both the Light and Land trims. Expect roughly 152 milesof real-world range on the long-range Land when you're near the rating with a boxy trailer.
Verified May 2026.
Kia EV9 towing specs
The EV9 tows up to 5,000 lbwith Kia's optional tow package. Unlike a lot of EVs, the rating is the same across the range — the 76 kWh Light and the 99.8 kWh Land LR both pull 5,000 lb — so the trim choice is about range and battery size, not tow capacity. Below are the long-range Land figures.
- Max tow rating: 5,000 lb (with tow package)
- Battery (Land LR): 99.8 kWh
- EPA range (Land, unladen): 304 mi
- EPA range (Light, unladen): 230 mi
- Energy use (unladen): 35 kWh per 100 mi
- Peak DC fast charge: 233 kW
- Onboard AC charging: 11 kW
The EV9 is a three-row family SUV on Hyundai-Kia's 800-volt E-GMP platform, so it fast-charges quickly (10–80% in about 24 minutes unladen) and offers vehicle-to-load (V2L) power to run tools, a cooler, or campsite lights from the battery. Its 5,000 lb rating comfortably covers most family towing — just plan charging stops around the range hit.
How Much Does Towing Reduce Kia EV9 Range?
The Land's 304 miEPA figure assumes an empty SUV on flat ground in mild weather. Towing changes all three at once, and the loss is dominated by aerodynamics: a square trailer adds far more wind drag than its weight alone would suggest, so the trailer's shape and your speed — not the pounds on the ball — set your real range.
- Low teardrop or small utility trailer: often only a 25–35% cut — roughly 200+ miles on the Land between charges.
- Small camper or boxy enclosed trailer at 65 mph: around 152 miles between charges (Land); ~115 miles on the short-range Light.
- Tall trailer at 70+ mph in cold weather: can fall well below 152 miles as drag and heating stack up.
Want to model your own trailer weight, shape, and speed instead of using a rule of thumb? The EV towing range calculator estimates the EV9's range for a specific trailer, and the EV range calculator adds temperature and payload effects.
Kia EV9 vs. Rivian R1S Towing Comparison
The EV9 lands between the family-SUV Tesla Model X and the truck-based Rivian R1S. The R1S tows the most and goes the farthest doing it; the EV9 and Model X share the same 5,000 lb rating, with the EV9 adding a true third row and a much lower price.
| Vehicle | Max tow | EPA range | Towing range* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kia EV9 Land LR | 5,000 lb | 304 mi | ~152 mi |
| Rivian R1S Max | 7,700 lb | 410 mi | ~205 mi |
| Tesla Model X LR | 5,000 lb | 348 mi | ~174 mi |
*Towing range is each model's EPA range reduced by a corroborated range-loss estimate near the rating (about 50% with a boxy trailer at highway speed). A low, aerodynamic trailer costs less; a tall, square one at 70+ mph costs more.
The Rivian R1S is rated to 7,700 lb — 2,700 lb more than the EV9 — and its 141 kWh battery keeps more miles in reserve while towing. But it costs tens of thousands more. The Tesla Model X matches the EV9's 5,000 lb rating and has more range, but seats five in practice and costs far more. For a three-row EV that tows up to 5,000 lb, the EV9 is the value pick — see the best three-row electric SUVs for the full field.
What Can You Tow With a Kia EV9?
Five thousand pounds is real family-towing capability — enough for a small travel trailer or a boat, not just bike racks. Stay within the rating and mind the range hit, and the EV9 handles most weekend loads.
- Small travel trailers and camper vans — many single-axle campers sit under 5,000 lb loaded; the low-drag ones cost the least range.
- Boats and PWC trailers — a small runabout, a bass boat, or a pair of jet skis on a trailer, within the loaded rating.
- Utility and enclosed trailers — gear, ATVs, yard or moving loads on a single- or dual-axle trailer.
- Bike, kayak, and cargo racks — receiver-mounted, with little to no range penalty.
Hitch and brake specs
A load up to 5,000 lbsits in Class III territory. Kia's tow package adds a 2" receiver; use a ball mount and hitch ball rated at or above your loaded trailer weight, and keep tongue weight near 10–15% of the load and within the receiver's vertical-load limit. Because most trailers near this rating exceed the ~3,000 lb trailer-brake threshold in many US states, plan on an electric-brake trailer and an aftermarket brake controller wired to a 7-pin connector — the EV9 has no integrated controller. Confirm your state's weight threshold and your trailer's brake type before the first trip.
If your loads are heavier or you tow long distances often, an electric truck or the 7,700 lb-rated R1S is the better tool — compare the field on best EVs for towing and the truck-class Hummer EV towing capacity.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Kia EV9 towing capacity?+
The Kia EV9 is rated to tow up to 5,000 lb with the factory tow package fitted. That rating applies across the lineup — the short-range Light and the long-range Land both carry the same 5,000 lb limit. It covers a small travel trailer, a boat, a pair of jet skis, or a utility/enclosed trailer, but not a large fifth-wheel or toy hauler.
What is the Kia EV9 tow rating?+
The EV9's maximum tow rating is 5,000 lb, achieved with Kia's optional towing package rather than stock hardware. Confirm the exact figure for your model year and trim against Kia's owner documentation, and stay within your trailer's loaded weight and tongue-weight limits before hooking up.
How far can a Kia EV9 tow on a single charge?+
Plan on roughly 152 miles near the rating with a boxy trailer at highway speed for the long-range Land (304 mi EPA). The short-range Light (230 mi EPA) drops to about 115 miles under the same conditions. Towing typically cuts EV range by 30–50%, driven mostly by the trailer's shape and your speed.
Does the Kia EV9 range drop a lot while towing?+
Yes. Expect to lose 30–50% of the EPA range, so the Land's 304 mi realistically becomes ~152 miles between charges with a small camper at speed. Aerodynamics dominate: a tall, square trailer costs far more than its weight alone suggests, while a low teardrop costs the least.
Is the Kia EV9 or Rivian R1S better for towing?+
The Rivian R1S has the higher ceiling — it's rated to 7,700 lb versus the EV9's 5,000 lb — and its larger battery gives more towing range (~205 mi vs ~152 mi for the EV9 Land). The EV9 counters on price and as a three-row family SUV. If your loads stay under 5,000 lb, the EV9 tows them for far less money; if you need to pull heavier or farther, the R1S is the better tool.
Does the Kia EV9 need a brake controller to tow?+
Only if your trailer has its own electric brakes, which most trailers near the 5,000 lb rating do. US states typically require trailer brakes above roughly 3,000 lb, so an EV9 towing a loaded camper or boat trailer will usually need a brake controller. The EV9 does not ship with an integrated controller, so you'd wire the trailer's 7-pin connector to an aftermarket unit. Confirm your state's threshold and your trailer's brake type first.
Related calculators and guides
- EV towing range calculator — estimate the EV9's range for a specific trailer weight and shape.
- Best EVs for towing in 2026 — every EV that can tow, ranked.
- Best three-row electric SUVs — the EV9's family-SUV rivals compared.
- Hummer EV towing capacity — the heavy end of EV towing.
- Kia EV9 full specs
- Kia EV buyer guide
Tow ratings, range, and consumption figures from EVMath's shared model data (manufacturer and EPA sources, 2025–2026 model years). The 5,000 lb rating requires Kia's tow package; real-world towing range is an estimate. Hitch-class and trailer-brake guidance is general — verify against your trailer's ratings, Kia's owner documentation, and your state's towing laws before hauling.