Kia EV6 is one of the year’s most highly anticipated new electric vehicles and a great alternative for those who think the mechanically related Hyundai Ioniq 5’s design is too obvious. It promises a maximum range of 300 miles on the EPA’s test cycle (although this has yet to be confirmed) and several power variants including an EV6 GT with 576 horsepower that takes just 3.5 seconds to reach sixty from standstill.
Just like the Ioniq 5 from Hyundai, the Kia EV6 rides on the same E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle architecture and it runs on the same 800V architecture that allows for impressive charging speeds. Kia claims that if you charge the EV6 at peak capacity with a DC rapid charger, it will add 210 miles of range in just 18 minutes.
The four variants that will be available for US buyers are a base 58 kWh model with a single rear motor that puts out 167 horsepower. Next up is another rear-wheel drive model, but this time it has 218 horsepower and 77.4 kWh battery capacity and then there’s an all-wheel drive model with the larger battery and 313 horsepower combined from its two motors.
The latter can sprint to sixty in 5.1 seconds, although it’s quite far off the EV6 GT that won’t be available until late 2022. The rest of the EV6 range will hit showrooms early next year.
One unique feature that sets the EV6 apart from other EVs, even ones with large batteries, is its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function that essentially turns the vehicle into a power bank on wheels. You can therefore charge anything with it, including pretty much any household electrical appliance, and you can do so for up to 36 hours if the battery is fully charged.
It also has Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) charging capability, allowing it to charge other vehicles at 1.1 kW, equivalent to hooking it up to a 110V household outlet. Other features include 21 different driver assistance and safety systems, an augmented reality head-up display, live weather information displayed directly in the car, 100 percent vegan leather option and up to 53.5 cubic-feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded flat.
Sean Yoon, president & CEO, Kia North America, Kia America, said about the EV6 that it
Marks a new and transformative era in Kia electrification. This innovative crossover leverages the many benefits of its advanced platform to offer a level of technological excitement and convenience that will provide a superb ownership experience.
The Kia EV6’s US reveal coincides with the Korean manufacturer debuting its redesigned logo (which is supposed to look like a handwritten signature) in the States and Kia’s American arm has also rebranded itself from Kia Motors America to just Kia America. Regarding this, the company’s American president & CEO said
This is an important and inspiring time in Kia’s history. On a global scale, our brand is sharpening its identity, and defining a sustainable, purposeful strategy within existing, new and to-be -developed vehicle segments as well as larger efforts we are now ready to pursue. Today’s announcement signals that Kia in the US is fully aligned with Kia Corporation’s global strategy and primed for continued success.
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