Which charges faster, the Rivian R1S or the Kia EV9?

On DC fast charging the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range is meaningfully faster, because its 800V E-GMP architecture lets it hold a high average DC power across nearly the entire 10 to 80 percent session, while the Rivian R1S Dual Large runs on a 400V architecture and averages noticeably less DC power despite a slightly higher paper peak. Both use CCS today and reach the Tesla Supercharger network through a NACS adapter. On home Level 2 charging, the two are close, since both carry a comparable onboard AC charger. Exact charging times for the United States are on this site's comparison tool.

Which one has more range?

The Rivian R1S Dual Large posts a slightly higher EPA range than the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range, but it gets there with a noticeably larger battery, a taller, heavier off-road-oriented body, and knobbier tires. The Kia EV9 carries a smaller pack and arrives at a similar EPA number through better efficiency: a lower, more aero-tuned 3-row body, comfort-biased tires, and a rear-drive layout. Both figures are EPA-rated, so the comparison is apples-to-apples, though EPA numbers run optimistic in real driving. Side-by-side realistic-range estimates are on this site's comparison tool.

Which is cheaper to charge?

Charging cost depends mainly on battery capacity and the electricity rate you use, not on the brand. Because the Rivian R1S Dual Large carries the larger battery, a full charge from empty needs more total energy than the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range, although the cost to charge the same percentage span, say 20% to 80%, follows the percentage rather than the battery size. Charging at home is far cheaper than public DC fast charging on either SUV. Exact side-by-side figures for the United States are on this site's comparison tool.

Rivian R1S vs Kia EV9: EV Comparison in the United States

The Rivian R1S and the Kia EV9 are two of the most cross-shopped 3-row family electric SUVs (battery electric vehicle / BEV) in the United States, and they solve the same target buyer's problem in very different ways. Both seat seven, both post an EPA range in the same neighborhood, and both sit in the same broad price band. From there the philosophies split. The R1S Dual Large is a Rivian in-house adventure platform, built around a bigger battery, off-road tech, and serious tow capacity, on a 400V electrical architecture. The EV9 RWD Long Range is Hyundai Motor Group's flagship 800V E-GMP comfort SUV, with a smaller more efficient pack and family-comfort tuning. Both use NMC chemistry, so the technical core is similar. The decision is about mission, not specifications alone. This guide weighs the two qualitatively. The exact figures (cost, time, realistic range) are on this site's comparison tool and per-car pages.

By mht-dev, Frontend Engineer & Creator

A frontend engineer who bought a first electric car in March 2026 and built EV Charge Calculator while working out the real cost of charging it, writing every guide from an everyday new EV owner's perspective.

Two 3-row family EVs, two different missions

The R1S and the EV9 share a target buyer: someone who needs a true 3-row, seven-seat electric SUV in the United States and is shopping in the same broad price band. Both are pure BEVs, not hybrids, so each one charges at home on a Level 2 AC wallbox or at a public DC fast charger out on the road. From there the cars diverge. The Rivian R1S Dual Large is the Rivian in-house adventure platform: tall ride height with air suspension, knobby off-road-friendly tires, a serious tow rating, lockable diffs, and a vertically integrated software stack from a young in-house team. The Kia EV9 RWD Long Range is the Hyundai Motor Group flagship family SUV: a comfort-tuned 800V E-GMP platform with second-row captain's-chair seating in the higher trims and a refined road-trip character.

Both cars in the variants compared here use NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) batteries, so battery-care advice is the same on either one. For routine driving, charging to roughly the mid-to-high range and saving a full 100% charge for trips is the gentle habit. With shared chemistry, this part of long-term ownership is not a tiebreaker between them.

Charging speed and network access

This is the biggest honest gap between these two, and it comes from electrical architecture, not from a flaw in either car. The Kia EV9 RWD Long Range runs on the Hyundai Motor Group 800V E-GMP platform, which lets it hold a high average DC power for nearly the entire fast-charge session. The Rivian R1S Dual Large runs on a 400V architecture with a much bigger pack. Even though the R1S has a slightly higher peak DC power on paper, real-world measured sessions consistently show the EV9 finishing a 10 to 80 percent fast charge in considerably less time, because it averages substantially more DC power across the curve. For road-trip-heavy ownership in the United States, the EV9 is straightforwardly the more practical car at the plug.

Network access tells a similar story with a twist. Both cars use CCS today, and both are part of the wider transition to NACS via an adapter to reach the Tesla Supercharger network. Rivian announced its NACS adapter rollout earlier than Kia did. On top of the public networks, Rivian operates the Rivian Adventure Network, a brand-owned set of DC stalls placed deliberately at trail-heads and outdoor destinations rather than along urban interstates, which is a genuine R1S-specific advantage for buyers who actually use the off-road capability. On home Level 2 AC charging, both SUVs carry a comparable onboard charger, so the everyday overnight session in the garage is similarly relaxed on either one.

Range, off-road capability, and family character

The two are surprisingly close on EPA range, but they get there from opposite directions. The Rivian R1S Dual Large carries the larger battery and arrives at its EPA number with a heavier, taller, more off-road-oriented body, knobbier tires, and a drivetrain tuned for tow capacity rather than aerodynamics. The Kia EV9 RWD Long Range carries the smaller battery and arrives at a similar EPA number because it is more efficient by design: a lower, more aero-tuned 3-row body, comfort-biased tires, and a rear-drive layout tuned for highway efficiency. Both ranges are quoted on the EPA cycle, so the brochure comparison is apples-to-apples, though EPA numbers run optimistic relative to a real winter highway run with the heater on.

Family character separates them as clearly as the platforms do. The R1S is the SUV that earns its keep at the trail-head, with roof-rack mounting points designed for actual gear, an air suspension that lifts for ground clearance, and a tow rating that handles a real trailer. The EV9 is the SUV that earns its keep on the school run and the road trip, with a quieter, lower, more comfort-biased cabin and second-row captain's-chair luxe in the higher trims. To judge real efficiency rather than headline numbers, this site presents discounted realistic-range estimates side by side with each car's cost per charge, computed automatically from the official specifications.

Which one suits you?

The choice comes down to whether you actually use adventure capability or whether road-trip practicality matters more. Pick the Rivian R1S Dual Large if you genuinely use the off-road talent (overlanding, trail-heads, gear hauling), need the serious tow rating, want the biggest pack and the in-house Rivian software stack, and you accept the slower DC fast-charging curve as the honest cost of a 400V adventure platform. Pick the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range if road-trip practicality matters and you want the much faster 800V charging curve, the more efficient smaller pack, the comfort-tuned cabin with second-row captain's-chair seating in the higher trims, and a lower price-of-entry. Both deliver seven seats and an EPA range in the same neighborhood, and both use NMC chemistry, so long-term battery care is equal and not a differentiator.

To close the decision with real numbers, this site provides a comparison tool prefilled with the Rivian R1S Dual Large and the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range side by side, a per-car page for each, and a charging cost calculator that works it out using your own electricity rate and battery percentage.

Frequently asked questions

Which charges faster, the Rivian R1S or the Kia EV9?: On DC fast charging the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range is meaningfully faster, because its 800V E-GMP architecture lets it hold a high average DC power across nearly the entire 10 to 80 percent session, while the Rivian R1S Dual Large runs on a 400V architecture and averages noticeably less DC power despite a slightly higher paper peak. Both use CCS today and reach the Tesla Supercharger network through a NACS adapter. On home Level 2 charging, the two are close, since both carry a comparable onboard AC charger. Exact charging times for the United States are on this site's comparison tool.
Which one has more range?: The Rivian R1S Dual Large posts a slightly higher EPA range than the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range, but it gets there with a noticeably larger battery, a taller, heavier off-road-oriented body, and knobbier tires. The Kia EV9 carries a smaller pack and arrives at a similar EPA number through better efficiency: a lower, more aero-tuned 3-row body, comfort-biased tires, and a rear-drive layout. Both figures are EPA-rated, so the comparison is apples-to-apples, though EPA numbers run optimistic in real driving. Side-by-side realistic-range estimates are on this site's comparison tool.
Which is cheaper to charge?: Charging cost depends mainly on battery capacity and the electricity rate you use, not on the brand. Because the Rivian R1S Dual Large carries the larger battery, a full charge from empty needs more total energy than the Kia EV9 RWD Long Range, although the cost to charge the same percentage span, say 20% to 80%, follows the percentage rather than the battery size. Charging at home is far cheaper than public DC fast charging on either SUV. Exact side-by-side figures for the United States are on this site's comparison tool.