Kia India is making their entry into the up-and-coming EV space, and it’s with none other than the EV6. Seen numerous times without camouflage, the Korean carmaker is now ready to bring this electrified SUV to our shores in the coming months, with its pre-bookings to start on May 26th, 2022. So, as another hot addition to this highly controversial segment, here’s what you can expect from the Indian-spec Kia EV6.
Design
The Kia EV6 takes the “EV’s sport a futuristic look”. Based on the brand’s new design philosophy ‘Opposites United’, it sports sleek triangular-shaped LED headlamps with DRLs and Kia’s new digital tiger face grille. Towards the back is where the design moves from conventional to controversial, with a huge curved boot with an LED bar running across it, which may be attractive to some and too bold for others.
Overall, the car boasts a sleek profile with its elegant curves and body style and has an incredible stance due to its massive 20-inch wheels.
Also Read: Hyundai Showcased Ioniq 5 Electric Crossover And NEXO FCEV In India
Interior
The exterior design may be contentious, but the interior is very much “futuristic,” with a cockpit-style curved twin display setup, a massive center console, Audi-like faux AC vents, eco-friendly seats wrapped in recycled plastics, and a 2-spoke steering wheel, all these elements will make you feel like you’re inside a spaceship rather than a car.
Features onboard are state-of-the-art such as a 360-degree camera, heated & cooled ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, TPMS, connected car tech, and level-3 ADAS to name a few.
Powertrains
Globally, the Kia EV6 comes with two drivetrains – RWD and AWD, and two battery pack options – 58kWh and 77.4kWh.
- 58kWh RWD: – A standard range, a single motor rear-wheel-drive (RWD) option that comes with a 58 kWh battery pack and has a single 125 kW motor that puts out 170PS of power.
- 58kWh AWD: – A standard range, dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) option which comes with a 58 kWh battery pack and has a single 173 kW motor that puts out 235PS of power
- 77.4kWh RWD: – A long-range, single motor RWD option that comes with a 77.4 kWh battery pack and has a single 168 kW motor which puts out 229PS of utmost grunt.
- 77.4kWh AWD: – A long-range, dual-motor AWD option linked to a 77.4 kWh battery pack, offering 325PS of peak force.
- GT variant: – There is also a dual-motor all-wheel-drive GT version which has two 430 kWh motors churning out a whopping 585PS of power and 740Nm of torque.
Expect Kia to introduce the EV6 in its top-spec guise in India, while the smaller battery pack variants could be introduced later.
Charging Capabilities
Talking about the range, the long-range AWD variant can deliver a WLTP-claimed range of around 510km on a single charge. It also supports up to 350kW of DC fast charging that can juice up the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. However, most DC fast charging points in India offer 50 kW charging as the maximum rate, so the 10-80 percent under 20 minutes is most likely a sporadic occurrence.
Also Read: Hyundai Ceases Engine Development Division To Accelerate Electrification Plan
Prices
The Kia EV6 will be brought to India as a CBU unit. So, expect its prices to be well over the Rs 50 Lakh mark. Initially, it will be limited to 100 units only.
