The 2022 Kia EV6 is the company’s first dedicated electric vehicle, and it’s built on the same Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that will back a spate of new Kia electric vehicles.
The EV6 is an example of the expanding choices and capabilities of the latest electric vehicles, with an estimated range of up to 310 miles and speedy charging rates thanks to its 800-volt architecture. It also comes with two different batteries, rear or all-wheel drive, with horsepower ranging from 167 to 576.
The latter is true for the top-of-the-line EV6 GT, which is said to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. The aggressive design and appealing cabin of the 2022 EV6 make it more fascinating than its unoriginal moniker implies.
Compared to Kia’s Niro EV, the EV6 is significant for Kia because it is the company’s first all-electric vehicle developed on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform. Its arrival also gives Kia something to show for its foray into the electric vehicle sector, which has been beset by delays.
Battery Life
The Kia EV6 comes with two battery options: a 58.0-kWh battery and a 77.4-kWh battery. The larger of the two will obviously provide a longer driving range. The smaller, conventional battery has a range of 232 miles, while the larger, long-range battery has a range of up to 310 miles, according to the EPA.
A 168kW rear motor produces 167 horsepower and is powered by a 58 kWh nickel-cobalt-manganese battery. This corresponds to an 8-second 0-60 time, a top speed of 115 MPH electronically regulated, and an EPA-rated range of 232 miles. In terms of efficiency, the Light achieves roughly 136 eMPG in the city and 100 eMPG on the highway. The Light has MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link suspension in the back, just like its more well-equipped siblings.
Unfortunately, its drivetrain can only tolerate a 400V charging scheme, extending the time it takes to recharge it fully. It’s not bad, mind you: a full charge from a 50W DC fast charger takes just over an hour, and a full charge from a 350W station takes just 18 minutes.
A full charge takes little under 6 hours at home with a 240V / 48A connection (ie a home-charging box), but days using an ordinary 110V / 12A socket (like the one your coffee maker is plugged into). According to Kia’s calculations, it would have to sit on charge for more than a weekend – 51 hours and 5 minutes to fully charge the battery.
In terms of charging time, the Wind and GT will take 73 minutes on a 50W DC connection (and 18 minutes with a 350W port, which adds around 217 miles to the range), about 7 hours on a 240V socket, and a monstrous 68 hours on 110V.
In the event of a blackout, you’ll be able to utilize the EV6 as a large, rolling battery to power numerous accessories, 110V power tools, and other household equipment, which is a first for Kia.
Design
The interior of the EV6 is really comfy. The cabin is unnervingly silent with the doors shut and the windows open. The EV6 has a total inside volume of 102 cubic feet with 24.4 cubic feet dedicated to storage in the rear cargo area (50.2 cubic feet if you fold the seats down).
Regardless of whether you’re seated in the front or back, you’ll have plenty of head and legroom, though you may need to stoop a little to accommodate three sets of shoulders over the rear bench seat. On the positive side, because there is no central drive shaft running beneath the cabin (thank you, e-motors! ), there is no hump to deal with if you’re in the middle.
Kia has also strewn USB and USB-C connections throughout the front and rear seating spaces so that you don’t have to stretch far to the plugin. On the front armrest, there’s even a wireless charging pad (next to the engine start button and drive selector).
However, given how many cameras Kia managed to cram into the vehicle, blind spots aren’t a major concern. When you activate your turn signal, for example, a live rear-facing video feed from the side mirror appears on the driver’s instrument cluster to ensure you don’t hit bicyclists or merge into the path of a tractor-trailer.
A total of 21 ADAS (driver assistance) systems are available, including parking rearview cameras, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warnings, automatic high lights, and forward collision avoidance.
The EV6 comes standard with a variety of driver-assistance features, including automated emergency braking and automatic high beams. There are a number of other optional aids that can be added to make the experience even safer.
The key safety features are standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning, standard adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and available remote parking assist.
Pricing
The price of Kia’s EV6, the firm’s first all-electric model, has been announced, and it ranges from $42,115 to $57,115 (including the required destination fee), according to the company. All-wheel drive (AWD) and rear-wheel drive (RWD) models will be available in the EV6 portfolio.
The EV6 Light variant is available with RWD for $40,900 before adding the $1,215 destination cost. The RWD EV6 Wind costs $47,000, while the dual-motor EV6 Wind with e-AWD costs $50,900. The RWD EV6 GT-Line costs $51,200, while the dual-motor e-AWD version costs $55,900.
