Welcome to the next generation of electric vehicles, the Kia EV6. Its scheduled arrival in mid-2021 has the auto industry abuzz with excitement and questions. The battery-powered EV6 has incredible style to go with its impressive power and exceptional charging capability. Inside, the details add up to the comfort and convenience you’d find on most luxury automobiles. Let’s take a closer look at what this revolution in electric vehicles has to offer.
Available Trims
Pre-production EV6 model with optional features shown. Features, colors, materials, accessories and specifications on pre-production model may vary from production model.
The EV6 comes in three trim levels; the base EV6, the GT-Line, and the GT. The base model starts at around $56,000. The GT-Line sees a modest increase to $60,000 while the top trim GT comes in at $80,000. The EV6 and GT-Line have two battery options. A 58-kWh battery delivers 230 miles of range, while the 77.4-kWh power supply will drive 316 miles.
The shorter range unit uses a 167 horsepower electric motor in the rear-wheel-drive model. In all-wheel-drive versions, you get a 231 horsepower motor. Long-range EV6 and GT-Line trims with rear-wheel-drive get a 225 horsepower motor. All-wheel-drive models get a 320 horsepower motor that connects to both axles.
The significant difference in the GT trim comes with the larger battery and all-wheel drive. The two motors in the GT put out an impressive 576 horsepower and 538 pound-feet torque. There aren’t many cars out there that can match the EV6 GT in power.
Exterior Style
You can’t quite tell what you’re looking at when viewing the EV6. It could fall under multiple segments, from a sport sedan to a crossover SUV or even a hatchback or wagon. Sharp lines and a sculpted hood mark the aggressive tiger-nose fascia. Sculpted sides and bulging fenders give the EV6 an athletic posture that looks ready to pounce.
The entire roof appears to float above the rest of the EV6. A C-shaped pillar rounds out the rear fascia that features two spoilers, one mounted at the roofline and the other sitting atop the car’s rear light cluster. It rolls on futuristic alloy wheels and looks ferocious as it takes charge of the streets.
E-GMP Platform
Kia calls the EV6 a crossover SUV, which works for many reasons. The Electric-Global Modular Platform it rides on offers Kia the flexibility to rapidly create vehicles through its modular design. Kia plans on growing its EV line using this modular platform to create a new wave of EV vehicles and introduce new EV versions of existing Kia models.
The E-GMP design uses lighter, smaller components which reduces the need for aggressive aerodynamics to achieve the driving range goals of other EVs. Kia encased the EV6’s batteries in ultra-high-strength steel cases to protect them from crash damage. The steel cage allows energy to flow away from the passenger compartment during impacts. Without an engine and transmission, this added space moves into the cabin for roominess that belies the EV6’s size.
Interior
Slipping into the EV6 cabin, you are surrounded by ergonomic comfort. Kia’s commitment to conservation resulted in seats upholstered in a material made entirely from recycled plastic. Kia officials claim the seats contain the equivalent of 111 plastic water bottles. The rear trunk offers 18.3 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up. That puts it in the full-size SUV range. It also has a modest 1.8 cubic feet of space in the front trunk on the rear-wheel-drive models and less than one cubic foot on all-wheel-drive versions.
The technology inside runs through the Kia Connect infotainment system that features dual 12-inch curved screens that connect in the middle. An available augmented reality head-up display projects relevant driving data to the windshield in the driver’s line of sight. You can customize this information to include speed, turn-by-turn directions, driving alerts, and more.
The EV6 comes with smart driver-assist tech like Highway Driving Assist 2. This system allows you to change lanes by signaling, and the lane-centering function uses subtle steering input to keep you centered within marked lanes. Adaptive cruise control keeps your EV6 at a preset speed and distance while in traffic, automatically slowing you down even to a complete stop. It even features a Remote Smart Parking Assist system that lets you pull your EV6 into and out of parking spots with you outside the vehicle.
Next Generation Charging
We call this a miracle, but Kia calls it progress. You don’t need special adapters or components to use the 800- and 400-volt charging systems. The 800-volt system can take a 10% battery life up to 80% capacity in an astounding 18 minutes. Quick top-ups can add 50 miles of range in less than five minutes, making the EV6 a marvel compared to other EVs.
Kia didn’t stop there, though. They’ve added a vehicle-to-load (VTL) function. VTL allows you to transfer power from your EV6 to just about anything. Kia states that the EV6 can turn into a power supply unit to operate a 55-inch television and an air conditioner simultaneously for up to 24 hours. Want more? The EV6 can recharge other electric vehicles using the VTL function.
Regenerative Braking System
Add Kia’s regenerative braking system to the list of electrical engineering that amazes on the EV6. It features three modes for mild, moderate, and strong regeneration. It works when you lift your foot off the accelerator, and the electric motor provides resistance to slow the vehicle, captures that energy, and transfers it back to the battery. You operate the system using steering wheel-mounted controls.
This sophisticated system allows for Kia’s i-Pedal one-pedal driving technology. It takes only a little practice to master, and once you do, you’ll love the ability to drive using a single pedal.
At Tom Kadlec Kia, we have an expansive selection of Kia vehicles to choose from and anxiously await the arrival of the new EV6 line. We invite you to contact us today to reserve a test drive of this remarkable new EV. You can also browse our inventory online or stop into our dealership on US-52 North in Rochester, New York, anytime. One of our friendly, professional staff will be glad to show you the different EVs from Kia and let you take a test drive in your favorite.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.