Kia Enters The High-Performance EV Game With A Bang

The EV6 is the first ground-up electric vehicle by Kia, and it has the potential to take on Tesla

• The EV6 is available in three variants: EV6, EV6 GT-Line, and EV6 GT.

• EV6 GT is the most powerful and can do 0-100kmph in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 260kmph.

• All variants can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes, using an 800V charger.

• It gets a black interior and a curved dual display with the instrument cluster and the touchscreen bundled into one.

• Its size positions it between the Hyundai Tucson and Toyota Fortuner.

Kia has unveiled the EV6, an all-electric vehicle that can go from 0-100kmph in 3.5 seconds, has a range of more than 500km and a top speed of 260kmph, and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. But before you get blown away by the numbers, let’s take a closer look at this new EV.

The design of the EV6 lies somewhere between that of a hatchback and a crossover. While Kia is calling it the latter, it says that the EV6’s cabin space is similar to many mid-size SUVs. It appears muted in design, particularly when you look at its silhouette. However, the drama comes in when you delve deeper into the details. 

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The triangular headlights are littered with LED DRLs around the edges, which lend the EV6 a new-ish design. Though relatively flat at the centre, the bonnet has these power-bulges at either end, which flow pretty nicely into the fender. All this is complemented by large five-spoke machine-finished alloy wheels. The roofline slightly dips at the rear, whereas the bottom half of the car rises up a little as you move towards the back. 

Also, the back is where the sleek tail lamps take centre stage, starting off from the fender-region, rising up, going across, and dipping again. While it might draw inspiration from the light bar on the back of the Porsche 911, the one on the EV6 has its own personality due to the dips at either end. Overall, it gives the EV a wide, imposing stance when you look at it from the rear.

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The interior of the EV6 is decked in black with neon highlights. It is not as outlandish as we have come to expect from EVs but still boasts some niche touches. For example, the instrument cluster and the touchscreen (both 12-inch units) have been integrated into one housing. While that might not be new, its curved construction does make it driver-focused. The centre console of the EV is also towards the driver. The rest of the interior looks similar to that of a usual car.

Kia is offering the EV6 in three variants: EV6, EV6 GT-Line, and EV6 GT. The nomenclature does sound a little confusing. But it’s Kia, and so we have (kind of) gotten used to it, thanks to the Seltos and the Sonet. So, to simplify things, here’s how they differ in size: 

According to Kia, these are the dimensions of the Euro-spec EV6. They have, however, not been homologated yet and could change in the final version of the car. To give you an idea of how big this car is, it sits somewhere between the Hyundai Tucson and the Toyota Fortuner. Apart from the boot space at the back, you also get a small boot (or a ‘frunk’) at the front, which can store 20 litres or 52 litres of cargo, depending on your model.

There is quite a bit of a gap in their performance as well. Take a look:

All 2WD variants have a single motor on the rear axle. In contrast, all AWD variants run a dual-motor setup with one electric motor on each axle. As far as charging is concerned, Kia says that all versions of the EV6 can go from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, using an 800V charging setup. The EV6 supports both 400V and 800V charging, making it that much more versatile. 

It has also got an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), allowing a vehicle-to-load function. Simply put, this means that you can use the car’s battery pack to power other electrical appliances. Kia says it can handle a load of up to 3.6kW and can run a 55-inch TV and an AC for more than 24 hours. It can even charge another EV!

Kia has also revealed some advanced features, including an augmented reality (AR) head-up display system (that will feed the driver with all relevant information on the windscreen, right in their line of sight). Then there is Kia’s latest version of connected car tech and a 14-speaker Meridian sound system.

Related: Kia’s New Electric Crossover Design Detailed In 8 Pictures

Passenger safety will be taken care of by Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), comprising features like Safe Exit Assist (SEA), Lane Following Assist (LFA), Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2), and Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA). HDA 2 is an advanced version of adaptive cruise control that keeps the car centred in its lane even when going around a curve. It can also help change lines if the driver taps the indicator stalk in a particular direction. With RSPA, one can auto-summon the car and/or park it while being outside of it. 

The Kia EV6 is set to go on sale in select countries by mid-2021 (and we can bet India won’t be one of the lucky ones). Bringing the EV6 here might be a costly affair, which is one reason why Tesla hasn't begun selling cars in India yet. However, the crossover is based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which can spawn more electric vehicles that could be more economical than the EV6. While those cars might be a few years away, they will probably be the first Kia BEVs to be sold in India.

Also Read: Hyundai Unveils Ioniq 5, The New Electric Crossover That Promises 100km From A 5-Minute Charge