Kia EV6 unveiled – next-generation electric crossover
Following teaser images and a full-fledged exterior show, Kia finally unveiled its next-generation EV6. It is an innovative and fast car with a fresh and modest look and will hit select markets, including the US, in the second half of this year.
This is Kia’s first electric car built from the ground up. For example, the successful Niro EV was originally a petrol-powered SUV. EV6 is built on a platform that will form the basis of at least six future electric cars. Parent company Hyundai uses the same E-GMP platform in Ioniq 5 (it was she who allegedly interested in Apple before negotiations on creating an apple electric car fell through).
All in all, the EV6 is a pretty important car for Kia. And the company made sure that it was packed with attractive features and cutting-edge technology. But he is still not ready to amaze potential buyers with a range.
The EV6 will be available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations, and Kia will equip the car with standard (58 kWh) or larger (77.4 kWh) batteries. Kia indicates that the rear-wheel-drive EV6 with extended battery capacity can travel 510 kilometers on a single charge (according to the European WLTP standard). The company did not provide an estimate of the driving range for other configurations.
In principle, the declared range is a good indicator for batteries of this capacity, but Kia only calls this figure; that is, all other versions of the EV6, most likely, have a more modest power reserve. It’s not bad for city driving anyway, but long-distance travel can be a problem.
One way to compensate for this disadvantage is high-speed charging – at least about the current generation of electric vehicles and at compatible charging stations. The E-GMP platform uses 800-volt batteries similar to those found in the Porsche Taycan, which allows the EV6 to be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes.
Another plus is the power, at least on the AWD variant. The all-wheel-drive EV6 GT is the flagship and only comes with a high-capacity battery. The car uses two engines with a combined output of 430 kW or approximately 576 horsepower and can reach speeds from 0 to 100 km / h in just 3.5 seconds.
It’s also worth mentioning that the EV6 supports two-way charging – just like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, the EV6 can deliver up to 3.6kW of power – enough to power a 55-inch TV and air conditioner. It falls short of, say, the 7.2-kilowatt version of the new Ford F-150 hybrid with an optional onboard charger, but the EV6 does not use gasoline to generate electricity. Kia says the EV6 can also towing up to 1.6 tons if the battery is more than 35% full.
The EV6 stands out most for its exterior styling. Kia calls the car a crossover, but it also has a lot from the hatchback. From some rear corners, it bears some resemblance to the Polestar 2. From the side, it is an elongated Ioniq 5. The car looks more aggressive than most SUVs in the modern Kia lineup, but it is not ostentatious – the car is striking but does not try to amaze.
The EV6’s interior is more familiar. Two 12-inch curved displays sit within a structure that rises from the dashboard, one in front of the driver and one for infotainment purposes. Also, there is an augmented reality display that projects information into the driver’s field of view. Kia promises that the whole thing will be updated over the air, and there are also advanced driver assistance features. Otherwise, this is the usual interior of Kia cars.
Unfortunately, Kia did not reveal everything about the EV6: there are no prices for various configurations, and the company did not disclose some characteristics. However, there is still time before entering the market.
