I’m not sure if you noticed, but Kia’s been elevating its status with each new vehicle it rolls out. Case in point, the upcoming Kia EV6, the first all-electric vehicle from Kia utilizing parent company Hyundai’s dedicated E-GMP platform, the same underpinnings you’ll find in Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 crossover.
The EV6 is also the start of Kia’s new naming strategy. From now on, all Kia battery-electric vehicles will adopt the ‘EV’ moniker followed by a number corresponding to the car’s position in the lineup. Additionally, this new approach makes it easier for customers to discern which Kia vehicle is all-electric.
“EV6 is the embodiment of both our brand purpose, ‘Movement that inspires,’ and our new design philosophy,” said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center. “It has been designed to inspire every journey by offering an instinctive and natural experience that improves the daily lives of our customers, and provide user ownership that is simple, intuitive, and integrated.”
Kia EV6: Beauty is Part of The Equation
If memory serves me right, Kia’s renaissance started in 2017 with the Stinger, a sporting four-door Gran Turismo shaped by former Audi designer Peter Schreyer. Additionally, Stinger’s engineering fell in the lap of former BMW M Vice President of Engineering Albert Biermann. So yeah, the Stinger not only looks unlike any Kia you’ve ever seen, but it’s also unlike any Kia you’ve driven before.
Since then, the hits kept coming – Seltos, Telluride, K5, all-new Carnival, and now the EV6. Fresh off a new logo and corporate identity, the EV6 is a testament to how far Kia has gone from budget-oriented ubiquity to stellar pieces of automotive art and engineering.
From what I’m seeing, the Kia EV6 has all the right ingredients and proportions to elicit oohs and ahhs from today’s demanding crowd. The hood shape is uncannily similar to Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 when viewed from the side, and the EV6 is probably the first modern Kia to forego the usual ‘tiger nose’ front grille. It also gets slimmer headlights and unique LED markers.
But the biggest triumph is that shapely rear hatch, dominated by a not-so-subtle ducktail spoiler like in an Aston Martin DBX. And unlike other ‘coupe’ SUVs with exaggerated sloping rooflines, the EV6 curves oh-so-gently towards the rear, allowing the rear glass, funky taillights, and muscular haunches to bask in the limelight.
Kia EV6 Powertrain
Kia has yet to spill the beans regarding powertrain specifics and total battery range for its newest EV6 electric crossover. However, I’m expecting it to come with the same 55 kWh or 72.6 kWh battery pack as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, suitable for an EPA-rated range of 270 to 280 miles.
The Kia EV6 will arrive with a single electric motor and standard rear-wheel drive, or dual electric motors for an effective all-wheel drivetrain. It also comes with an 800-volt electrical architecture similar to the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT. This means less weight, less heat, better efficiency, and DC fast-charging up to 350 kW, enough to replenish the batteries from five to 80 percent in around 20 minutes.
If the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is any indication, you can expect the base Kia EV6 to have a single rear-mounted electric motor pumping out 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque, enough oomph to scoot from zero to 60 mph in under six seconds. However, choosing the dual-motor version means you’ll have around 306 horsepower and 446 lb-ft. of torque at your disposal and zero to hero in five seconds flat.
Kia EV6: Pricing & Availability
The Kia EV6 electric five-passenger crossover is making its global premiere on March 15th and will most likely arrive at dealerships this fall. Pricing remains forthcoming, but we’re expecting the base MSRP to start around $43,000 to $45,000 before federal and state incentives.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Original article: New Kia EV6 Teased, Full Reveal Coming Soon
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