The EV6 is the third electric vehicle in the Kia catalog, taking place above the original E-Soul and the homogeneous E-Niro. This is the first model based on a platform entirely dedicated to electricity called E-GMP. This crossover shares its running gear, engines and chassis with its Seoul cousin, the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Dimensions and design
With a 4.68 m long, it targets the VW group duets – Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV – but also the Nissan Ariya and Ford Mustang Mach-E in the increasingly swarming market of the 100% electric family SUV. And among this crowd, Tesla is coming very soon with its Model Y 9 cm longer than the Korean.
VIDEO – Our discovery of the Kia EV6
With 1.88 m in width, the machine clashes with its very marked shoulders. At the front, the stretched lights frame a refined grille compared to the “Tiger Nose” that the Kia wore in recent years. The lines are all the more tense as wheelbase of 2.90 m pushes the wheels back 19 to 21 inches at all four corners of the vehicle. At the rear, the very clear break between the inclined bezel and the base of the tailgate can put off. Fortunately, the spoiler styling this massive descent adds an ounce of sportiness to the machine.
Interior
On board, Kia wanted a sober decor. Facing the driver, a large curved plate grouping two 12.3-inch screens, one for instrumentation, the other for infotainment. The system is quick and intuitive. The finish is correct, but this copy is still only a pre-series model. To be checked in a few months, therefore.
Note that you are also sitting or sitting on mineral water packs, since the plastics of the seats are made from recycled water bottles. In the rear seats, as always, we note the absence of a central tunnel, but also a floor more raised than on a thermal vehicle, since the battery is under our feet. The headroom remains correct if you do not exceed 1.80 m.
The rear trunk ensures a capacity of 520 liters according to the VDA measurement, more than 100 liters better than a Ford Mustang Mach-E. Like many electric cars, the EV6 also offers a small storage space in the front. Additional capacity: 20 liters for 4-wheel drive versions, 55 liters for rear-wheel drive. Useful for charging cables, but that’s it …
Engines
The EV6 will be available with several engine and transmission configurations. The range starts with propulsion, with a single engine located at the rear, given for 228 hp. Second stage of the rocket, the version equipped with two synchronous electric motors accumulating 325 hp. Above all, the flagship, the EV6 GT will offer up to 430 kW (or 584 hp) and a torque of 740 Nm distributed over all four wheels. The 0 to 100 km / h should be dispatched in 3.5 seconds. And in a recent video, Kia recently boasted that it could do better than a Ferrari California T in a 400-meter standing start.
And on the chassis side, Kia left the keys to Albert Bierman. This respectable Mr. German worked for 25 years in the engineering of BMW, in particular on the development of the BMW M3 E30 … We know worse reference.
Charging and autonomy
More prosaically, know that the EV6 also intends to go very quickly to the charging station. In optimal conditions – and we know that they are not always – the machine is able to go from 10 to 80% of autonomy in 18 minutes without additional adapter.
The imposing 77.4 kWh battery provides a range of up to 510 km in the new WLTP standard. So count on a 400 km in real life. A rather honorable performance for a machine of this size.
Price
The Kia EV6 is assembled in South Korea and is already available to order. Prices start at 47,990 euros at the entry level, ie 1,000 euros less than a Ford Mustang Mach-E… but also 8,000 euros more than a Volkswagen ID4. Note, however, that the German is much less well motorized and equipped in its first price version.
To read on auto-moto.com:
Kia EV6: range and prices
New Kia EV6: the future behind
Test Kia Rio restyled (2020): light hybridization for Rio
Kia Sportage: should you still buy it?
