Kia EV6 Spied On Indian Roads, Expected To Launch By Mid-2022

The sporty EV will be premium CBU model and the brand’s first electric offering in India

• The EV6 is Kia’s first EV on its dedicated electric platform.

• Made its global debut in 2021 and has been well received in global markets.

• EV6 features sporty crossover styling and offers upto 500km of range with the larger battery.

• It offers a premium experience with a well-equipped cabin.

• The EV6 could be launched here as an import with a price tag north of Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Kia EV6 is the first of the brand’s new-age dedicated EV models, underpinned by the new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). It premiered around a year ago and has since received much acclaim in different markets. The EV6 is a premium offering that showcases how exciting EVs can be in terms of styling and performance.

The EV6 features a sporty crossover design with dynamic proportions. It has sleek triangular headlights and the front end slopes forward aggressively. At the back, its boot rises sharply, sculpted like an integrated spoiler, also housing the connected taillights that span the car’s width and extend till the rear wheel arches. There is cladding along the bottom edge, all the way around, to add a rugged aspect to its otherwise sporty form.

Let’s talk numbers. The EV6 is internationally offered with two battery sizes: 58kWh and 77.4kWh. Both are designed to be offered with RWD and 4WD variants but so far, the smaller battery pack has been offered with RWD only. It also features an 800V charging setup for a fast charging capacity of upto 350kW which could replenish the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes.

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

According to the USA range-testing agency, the EPA, the EV6’s smaller battery variant has a range of up to 373km with a performance rating of 170PS and 350Nm. The long-range 77.4kWh battery is good for 500km with the RWD variant offering 225PS and 350Nm. Its sportier AWD variant with the larger battery offers 325PS and 605Nm of performance. There will be a hardcore EV6 GT variant in the future with an output of 585PS and 740Nm.

Inside the cabin, the EV6 has a modern design but it is familiar enough to make it easy to use. Its dashboard features an integrated housing for the 12-inch digital driver’s display and 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The climate controls are on a sleek, panoramic panel below the central AC vents. It gets a sporty-looking two-spoke steering wheel with a flat bottom. 

The floating central console that does not connect to the dashboard has an intricate design with ambient lighting strips. It houses controls for the on/off button, drive select (the dial), cupholders, wireless charging pad, and heated/ventilated front seats on the top end.

Kia is expected to introduce the EV6 in India as a premium import. It would still be positioned below the luxury segment EVs and be priced somewhere between Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh (ex-showroom). Its closest rival at launch would be the Volvo XC40 Recharge with potential rivals in the future being the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y.