The electric car market is going to be extremely interesting to watch because it can tighten the gap between premium and non-premium brands, especially in the minds of EV enthusiasts that are more concerned with specs that luxury. For instance, it’s typically highly unusual to compare a BMW and a KIA, as the former is an expensive premium brand and the latter is not (not an insult to KIA, it’s been making fantastic cars over the past few years). However, the upcoming KIA EV6 electric car should absolutely grab the attention of all EV buyers, even premium ones.
For starters, the KIA EV6 looks great. It’s sharp, sleek, futuristic looking, and has shades of Jaguar’s design language in it. I also love the fact that it’s a five-door hatchback with muscular rear wheel arches, a sexy upward-sweeping C-pillar, and an almost shooting brake-style silhouette.
The interior is also quite nice looking, especially in EV6 GT (the performance variant seen in these photos) spec. The seats are sporty and supportive looking, the dash is simplistic but handsome, and its tech isn’t too in-your-face. Nothing special but nothing offensive, either.
What’s impressive, though, is what lies beneath. The KIA EV6 is built on the brand’s new dedicated electric platform, which will house several different EV powertrains. Two battery packs will be available; a standard 58 kWh battery and a long-range 77.4 kWh battery. Both battery packs will be available with either a rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
The top-end KIA EV6 will come with dual electric motors and the 77.4 kWh battery pack, making 576 horsepower and getting from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. While the standard long-range model (big battery, rear-wheel drive), will be able to achieve 510 km (316 miles) of range.
All KIA EV6 models will be equipped with 800-volt architectures and can charged from 10-80 percent battery in just 18 minutes. If you’re in a pinch, 100 km of range can be put back in just 4.5 minutes, which is easily among the fastest on the market.
With its good looks, impressive specs, and rapid charging, the EV6 is going to cement itself as a very capable EV in the near future. However, as enthusiasts, we want to know what it’s going to be like and we’re quite optimistic about its dynamics, simply because of the man who’s in charge of them.
“The GT version of EV6 demonstrates our technological leadership through its combination of outstanding high-speed charging and acceleration performance like a super sports car. With our dedicated EV platform, there is no need for compromise between inspiring spaciousness and performance,” said Albert Biermann, President and Head of R&D Division for Hyundai Motor Group. Oh, and Beirmann was the former head of BMW M…
