Now that Hyundai has shown its E-GMP electric car with the creased Ioniq 5, it's Kia's turn to show what it can do. The first of its E-GMP cars is called the EV6, and we're getting our first clear glimpse of it with these teaser images. From what we can see, it looks drastically different from the Hyundai.

Whereas the Hyundai is hard-edged with a relatively conventional hatchback shape, the Kia is curvy and features an aggressive fastback roofline. The fenders are exaggerated, particularly the pumped-out rear ones. The lighting is similarly organic with stylized LED running light elements. The taillights even extend down into the rear fenders. The turn signals are sequential, and mirror the arcing shape of the taillights. And, unlike the Ioniq 5, there doesn't appear to be a retro bone in the Kia's body.

The dramatic body of the EV6 will be draped over the E-GMP electric car platform from the Ioniq 5. That means it will probably be offered with the same options of either a single, 215-horsepower rear motor and rear-wheel drive or dual motors making 302 horsepower and powering all four wheels. It will support ultra-fast 800-volt charging and the ability to power appliances off the car battery, and it will likely have battery capacities of either 58 kWh or 77.4.

With the reveal coming on March 15, we only have to wait a week to see this new Kia. Most of the specifications should be revealed then, along with full photos of the exterior and interior.

The Kia EV6 electric car has finally been revealed. It's the first Kia to use the E-GMP platform, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It looks dramatically different from that car, though we have yet to know if the specifications will differ much.

While the Ioniq 5 has a relatively conventional and very angular hatchback shape, the Kia EV6 has a curvy, coupe-like shape. The nose is wide and blunt with a grille and headlights that wrap around the leading edge with a slight scowl. The roofline is low, as is the hatchback, with a window sill that rises rapidly into a thick rear pillar for aggressive coupe profile. The rear has unique, thin taillights that span edge to edge, and the angles of them match the angles of the side sills.

The inside looks like a more streamlined and minimized version of the Kia K5's interior. The instrument panel and infotainment screen are fitted in one wide monolith on top of the dash. That dash is low and simple with full-width air vents. The car also has a floating center console that looks like it probably slides like the one in its Hyundai sibling.

Unfortunately, Kia hasn't said anything about motors, power and battery capacity. We're expecting it to match the specs of the Ioniq 5 with single-motor, rear-drive and dual-motor, all-wheel-drive versions making either 215 horsepower or 302. It will probably be offered with a base 58-kWh battery and a long-range 77.4-kWh battery. We also don't have an on-sale date, but that will probably be sometime this year.

Kia Corporation has revealed the first images of the exterior and interior design of EV6, its first dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV).

Kia EV6 was designed under the brand's new design philosophy 'Opposites United', which takes inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity. At the center of the design philosophy is a new visual identity evoking positive forces and natural energy, with contrasting combinations of sharp stylistic elements and sculptural shapes.

Boasting a distinctive crossover-inspired design and based on the brand's new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), EV6 is Kia's first dedicated BEV to be influenced by the new design philosophy, which embodies Kia's shifting focus towards electrification.

"EV6, as the first dedicated Kia EV, is a showcase of human-centered, progressive design and electrified power. We strongly believe EV6 is a compelling and relevant model for the new EV market," said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Design Center. "With EV6 we aimed to create a distinctive, impactful design by using a combination of sophisticated, high-tech features on pure and rich volumes, while providing a unique space as a futuristic EV."

Opposites United: a design philosophy for all future Kia vehicles

The Opposites United design philosophy makes its debut on Kia EV6, and will inform the design of all future Kia models. The philosophy is based on five key design pillars: 'Bold for Nature', 'Joy for Reason', 'Power to Progress', 'Technology for Life', and 'Tension for Serenity'.

Bold for Nature is based on interaction with nature, informed by the details, shapes and proportions found both in the natural and human worlds. This design pillar creates organic, yet technical structures and finishes for vehicle interiors; exterior designs are characterized by a combination of clear and simple lines with bold, ever-changing surfaces.

Joy for Reason focuses on the feel and ambience of Kia's future vehicles. Future designs will fuse the emotional with the rational, creating vehicles that influence the mood of passengers, by relaxing and inspiring. It will also influence the adoption of new organic materials and more daring colors, expressing a sense of youth and playfulness.

Power to Progress builds on the brand's current design strengths. By drawing on and developing the skills and expertise learned throughout Kia's recent era of design-led transformation, the designs and layouts of the brand's future products will continue to evolve. Future designs will draw on experience and creativity to invent and innovate new designs.

Technology for Life embraces new technologies and innovations to foster positive interactions between humans and machines. The brand's future vehicles will adopt a next-generation in-car user experience (UX) through design and innovation and advancements in lighting, feel and in-car connectivity - to help customers engage with their cars.

Tension for Serenity evokes the tension between opposing forces and creative contrasts, and recognizes the design equilibrium that comes from two opposing forces. It delivers striking design concepts that use sharp, highly technical details to create surface tension - and realize a harmonized, future-oriented design vision.

"We want our products to deliver an instinctive and natural experience that improves the daily lives of our customers. Our aim is to design the physical experience of our brand and to create original, inventive, and exciting electric vehicles. The ideas of our designers and the purpose of the brand are becoming more connected than ever, with our customers at the center of what we do and influencing every decision that we make," added Karim Habib.

Exterior design: a future-oriented EV design characterized by high-tech details

The exterior design of Kia EV6 is a powerful representation of 'Power to Progress'. An evolution of the brand's strengths in design, EV6 is a culmination of skills and expertise collected throughout Kia's design-led transformation; investigating the future and beyond.

At the front, characteristic daytime running lights display a sleek, modern appearance. They form part of the car's 'Digital Tiger Face', a design progression evoking the spirit of Kia's 'Tiger Nose Grille' for the electrified era. The design of the lamps also includes a 'sequential' dynamic light pattern. Below this, a low air intake visually widens the front of the car, accentuating its high-tech image. Part of the optimization of air flow from the front, the air is channeled through and under the car's flat floor for optimum aerodynamics.

The side profile displays a crossover-inspired design aesthetic, which is modern, sleek and aerodynamic. This contrasts with sharp lines and high-tech details to create a sense of tension in the design. A swept-back windshield provides dynamism and purpose, while bold rear haunches add volume. A character line runs along the bottom of the doors curving upwards towards the rear wheel arches, visually elongating the profile of the car.

Designed in part to realize ultimate aerodynamic performance, the rear displays a sloping rear C-pillar with an integrated black glossy insert which visually widens the window glass. Above this sits a prominent roof spoiler that channels air downwards towards a raised lower spoiler which sits atop the car's unique rear light cluster.

Kia EV6 is the result of a collaborative effort between all three studios in Kia's global design network in Namyang (Korea), Frankfurt (Germany), and Irvine (California, US).

Interior design: a modern and spacious interior for the EV era

A distinct product of the EV era, the interior design is liberated by Kia's dedicated E-GMP platform, which offers increased space compared to previous Kia EVs based on existing model architecture. EV6's interior design profiles an innovative use of space, creating a unique spatial and driving experience.

One of the most striking elements of the new interior is a seamless high-tech curved high-definition audio visual and navigation (AVN) screen. The simple form language of the wide curved screen and the slim dashboard give the space an open feel. Extending from the steering wheel across to the center of the car, it displays an instrument cluster in front of the driver, and infotainment and navigation above the center console. The width of the screen creates an immersive experience for the driver, while a minimal number of physical buttons offer an uncluttered and soothing driving experience.

Underneath the AVN screen, passengers control HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) settings by using haptic 'buttons', while below this panel, the dashboard slopes away towards the front of the car, creating a sense of space and openness for the front-seat passengers.

The seats are slim, lightweight and contemporary, and clad in modern, visually interesting and robust fabrics created using recycled plastics, which create yet greater openness in the cabin.

The parade of new electric vehicles continues with the 2022 Kia EV6, a crossover-ish vehicle with surprisingly aggressive performance numbers. Although we have previously seen the EV6, today we get new pictures and key specs, including a maximum range of 316 miles on the WLTP combined cycle (EPA range would be less), a minimum 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds in the EV6 GT model, and a recharge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes thanks to the 800-volt charging capability on every version.

The EV6 uses the same Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and roughly shares its available battery capacities. However, as is often the case with Hyundai and Kia vehicles that share a common platform, they clearly split early in the development process, as their dimensions, specs and designs show little sign of common DNA.

The EV6 wheelbase of 114.2 inches isn't as unusually lengthy as the Ioniq 5's (118.1), but is still considerably longer than the VW ID.4 and Nissan Ariya. Its overall length is greater than all of the above, however, at 184.3 inches (or 184.9 for the EV6 GT), a figure that puts it closer to the 186-inch Mustang Mach-E. At 61.0 inches tall, it is 2 inches shorter than both the Ioniq 5 and Mach-E, which themselves are pretty low for vehicles considered crossovers. In other words, like so many electric vehicles, the EV6 has unusual dimensions resulting from engineers and designers taking advantage of the inherent differences between a dedicated EV platform and an internal combustion one.







Like the Mustang Mach-E, the EV6 offers a diverse menu (some would say complex) of performance and range that's dictated by battery size, driven wheels and trim level.

The EV6 and EV6 GT-line (pictured in red above) offer a choice. Things start with a 58 kilowatt-hour Standard Range battery pack. When paired with a rear motor only, it results in a rather modest 168 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Adding a second motor for all-wheel drive pumps things up considerably to 232 hp and 446 lb-ft. Kia did not indicate range estimates for this battery pack.

The available 77.4-kWh Long Range battery pack kicks output up to 232 hp and 258 lb-ft with the rear motor only. It is this version that results in the best possible range, an estimated 510 kilometers or 316 miles on the WLTP cycle, which should likely put the EPA range in the mid-to-upper 200-mile range. The second motor/AWD yields 321 hp and 446 lb-ft, but no range estimate was given.

The EV6 GT comes only with the pairing of Long Range battery and more powerful motors on both axles that results in 577 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque (it also gets an electronic limited-slip differential). This is the version that Kia says will go 0-to-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. No Ioniq 5 comes remotely close to this performance, and you'd have to look to higher-end Teslas and the upcoming, top-of-the-line Mustang Mach-E GT Performance to get that sort of neck-snapping acceleration from an EV or any number of high-end ICE sports cars. We were not expecting that.

All versions support 400-volt and 800-volt charging, with the latter enabling an ultra-fast 10-80% recharge in 18 minutes. It can also regain 62 miles of range (again, WLTP) in 4.5 minutes. This capability is shared with the Ioniq 5 and is a key attribute of Hyundai's E-GMP platform. Another atypical benefit is the EV6's Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which includes a "vehicle-to-load" function that basically turns the car into a generator. Kia says it can supply as much as 3.6kW of power that can operate a 55-inch TV and an air conditioner simultaneously for more than 24 hours. It can even charge another electric car. Nifty.

As with most other EVs not produced by Audi or Porsche, the EV6 allows for one-pedal driving. However, it stands out by offering six regenerative braking levels: none, 1 to 3, auto mode and "i-Pedal," which is the maximum mode that can bring the car to a stop without the driver touching a pedal.

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Now, having touched on the electric vehicle requisites of maximum range and 0-60 times, let's move inside to discuss the other must: a big touchscreen. The EV6 has a pair of curved 12-inch screens – one for the instrument panel and the other touch-operated for the infotainment system. The latter is angled toward the driver, which is always appreciated. Judging by the photos, this appears to feature a new UI for Kia. We hope it'll remain just as user friendly as what's available now.

Admittedly, the EV6 screen isn't as eye-popping as Tesla's or the Mustang Mach-E's, but its curved display is pretty cool and the available head-up display features augmented reality capability like the new Mercedes S-Class. The HVAC controls are also a separate touch-operated panel, which is configurable. Over-the-air updates are possible.

The uni-spoke steering wheel looks vaguely similar to what you'd find in the EV6's corporate cousins, the Genesis G80 and GV80. Speaking of those, the EV6 is the only other Hyundai Group vehicle besides them to offer the next-generation Highway Driving Assist II that builds upon the advanced adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping system available on the Kia Telluride and other Hyundai Group Vehicles with a machine-learning capability that allows for automated lane changes and adjusts its behavior to the driver's style.

Basically, Kia has thrown every tech feature at its disposal at the EV6, while also providing clear differentiation between both its Hyundai Ioniq 5 cousin and various other electric cars. Pricing was not announced, but considering the differences in available performance, we would expect the price range to be similarly vast. The EV6 will be produced in Korea and will go on sale in the second half of 2021 with online reservations starting today (March 30). It also expects to sell 20,000 in the United States.

"EV6 is the embodiment of the new Kia," said Kia President and CEO Ho Sung Song in a press release. "(It) represents the beginning of Kia's long-term commitment to sustainable mobility, accelerating the transition not only to clean transportation, but also products, materials and manufacturing."

The company says it will produce 11 new electric models by 2026, with seven built on the E-GMP platform and four based on existing models. It also says that 40% of Kias will be electrified (EV, plug-in hybrid and regular hybrid) by 2030.

After months of teasing, and even divulging photos and select specifications of the car, Kia has officially and completely taken the wraps off its first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6. The sporty crossover is the first of 11 new electrified models promised by Kia globally by 2026. Offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with up to 576 horsepower and around 300 miles of driving range, the EV6 will go on sale in early 2022.

The EV6 uses the E-GMP modular platform shared with Hyundai and will offer single- and dual-motor powertrains, as well as two battery options. The base EV6 will be a single-motor, rear-drive version with a 58.0-kilowatt-hour battery and 160-kilowatt motor providing up to 167 horsepower. Another rear-wheel-drive model will offer a 77.4-kWh battery and 160-kW motor providing 218 hp. Moving further up the lineup is an all-wheel-drive model with 77.4-kWh battery, with a 70-kW motor up front and 160-kW motor in the rear providing a total of 313 hp and 0–60 time of 5.1 seconds. The all-wheel-drive EV6 GT, coming in late 2022, features the same 77.4-kWh battery, with a 160-kW front motor and 270-kW rear motor providing 576 hp and the aforementioned 0–60 time of under 3.5 seconds.

We’ve already talked about the EV6’s looks in previous posts, with styling that blends crossover and hatchback. It features what Kia calls a “Digital Tiger” nose (which sounds like it could be the title of a Wu-Tang Clan album), with a taut fascia and scowling headlights emphasized by dramatic hood creases. The raked windshield leads the glasshouse, which tapers toward the C-pillar and rear roof spoiler. The rear comes to a point below the rear window and features a horizontal light bar across the liftgate at the most outstretched extreme of the sheet metal. Those lighting elements angle down toward the rear wheels to visually connect with the lower character line across the EV6’s side sills.



Inside, the design of the EV6 looks clean and high-tech, with a pair of curved screens serving as the digital instrument panel and infotainment interface. Below that on the lower dash is a horizontal, full-width air vent array. A floating center console separates the front occupants and is home to cupholders, a drive-select dial, and what appears to be a storage spot for a phone — we’d guess this is where the standard wireless charger resides.

What isn’t necessarily apparent in the photos is that the interior makes extensive use of recycled plastics throughout its 100% vegan interior. The EV6 features all-LED lighting both inside and out. Thin, “giga-steel” seat frames maximize legroom for the rear passengers. There’s 27.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and folding them yields a maximum of 53.5 cubic feet. There’s also a frunk under the hood for additional storage.

In terms of tech, the EV6 dash houses those dual integrated 12-inch instrument cluster and infotainment screens, which feature a blue-light filter. An augmented reality head-up display provides information in a large three-dimensional image over the hood of the car. The EV6 also features over-the-air updates, in-car commerce from various merchants and an available Wi-Fi hotspot. It even has smartwatch accessibility, allowing you to get battery status and other notifications, and even control some vehicle functions remotely from your wrist.

The list of standard safety and driver-assistance features in the EV6 is long and includes a surround-view monitor, parking collision avoidance, rear occupant alert, remote smart parking assist and safe exit assist. It also includes the "Highway Driving Assist II" adaptive cruise control with lane-centering and, now, assistance with positioning within the lane during lane changes. "Navigation Based Smart Cruise Control-Curve" automatically lowers the vehicle’s speed ahead of curves. The EV6 also includes blind-spot collision avoidance, forward emergency braking, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance and automatic high beams as standard.

Charging the EV6 won’t take long. It supports 400- and 800-volt charging, with DC fast-charging rates ranging from 50 to 350 kW. That top charging rate adds up to 70 miles of juice to the battery in less than five minutes. For Level 2 charging, either at home or in public, the EV6 features an 11-kW onboard charger capable of charging the 77.4 kWh battery from 10% to 100%.

The EV6 also features what Kia calls “vehicle-to-load” functionality, which allows it to serve as a mobile power source, with up to 1,900 watts to power tools or appliances. It can also perform vehicle-to-vehicle charging at 1.1-kW, the equivalent of a 110-volt outlet.

Kia will offer an EV6 First Edition with reservations starting June 3. This model, limited to 1,500 units, features all-wheel drive and the 77.4-kWh battery, black wheel arches, the augmented-reality HUD, remote smart parking, a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system, illuminated First Edition door sills and a numbered interior badge. It can be had with three unique color combinations: Glacier with dark green seats, Urban Yellow with black seats and Steel Gray Matte with black seats.

You may have noticed we’re still awaiting one final detail for the EV6 lineup: Pricing. We’ll be sure to update you when we know more ahead of the EV6’s arrival early next year. Stay tuned.

The EV6 is Kia’s first-ever dedicated electric model, based on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), just like the Hyundai IONIQ 5. In terms of size, this is a compact-to-midsize crossover utility vehicle and should handle the task of being a sole family car just fine.
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Kia has a lot riding on the EV6, mind you. It’s the first in a long line of EV-monikered models (from EV1 to EV9), and on paper at least, it looks like a real winner – solid range, great performance, latest onboard convenience and safety tech, you name it. We’re still waiting on U.S. pricing though, but it shouldn’t be long now, with first deliveries expected to take place in January.

The car they brought to the 2021 LA Auto Show is an EV6 GT-Line model, which isn’t a flagship specification but this one, at least, seems spec’d out of its mind. It even has the 20-inch wheels with dark gray inserts that are standard on GT-Line S and GT models in the UK. In terms of features, the GT-Line should have black suede and light gray vegan interior upholstery, front parking sensors, the so-called premium relaxation seats with driver-side memory, alloy pedals, wireless smartphone charging, dual LED headlights with adaptive driving beam and blind spot collision warning.

Of course, all that goes on top of the standard features, which in the UK include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for the curved panoramic display with twin 12.3-inch screens, ambient lighting, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual automatic air conditioning, rain-sensing wipers, sat-nav based cruise control with stop & go, plus Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with city, pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning functionality.

As for performance, the best you’ll be able to squeeze out of an EV6 at the moment is 239 kW (320 hp) and 446 lb-ft (605 nm) of torque courtesy of a 77.4 kWh battery and 4WD. When the flagship GT spec goes on sale, it will offer a combined output of 577 hp to go with a 3.5-second 0-60 mph sprint time.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just released key range details for the 2022 Kia EV6 in the U.S.

Sitting at the base of the range is the EV6 Standard Range RWD. This variant is powered by a 58 kWh battery pack with a single electric motor producing 167 hp and, as the name suggests, is rear-wheel drive. It has a range of 232 miles (373 km) and MPGe ratings of 136 city, 100 highway, and 117 combined.

One step up from the EV6 Standard Range RWD sits the EV6 Long Range RWD. It comes standard with a larger 77.4 kWh battery, a 218 hp motor, and has the highest range of any variant, capable of traveling up to 310 miles (499 km) on a charge. It also returns MPGe ratings of 134 city, 101 highway, and 117 combined.

Last but not least is the flagship EV6 Long Range AWD. While it has the same 77.4 kWh battery pack as the Long Range RWD, the presence of two electric motors that deliver a combined 313 hp, as well as all-wheel drive, reduces its range to 274 miles (441 km) and lowers MPGe figures to 116 city, 94 highway, and 105 combined.

All three Kia EV6 variants come standard with 19-inch wheels but the Long Range AWD is also offered in First Edition guise with 20-inch ones. Range figures for this version haven’t been announced.

Joining these models in the U.S. line-up in late 2022 will be the range-topping EV6 GT. It has the same 77.4 kWh battery pack as the Long Range models but uses two powerful electric motors making a combined 576 hp. Unsurprisingly, given its launch timeframe, there are no range or MPGe ratings available yet.

Who fancies the idea of a good-looking, quick, easy-to-use EV that’s bound to make your neighbors jealous? If your first thought is “Oh, has Tesla released another car?” you’re barking up the wrong tree. This one’s a Kia. The EV6 arrived, seemingly from left field, and kinda melted the internet in the process.

A stablemate of Hyundai’s Ionic 5 and the upcoming Genesis GV60, the EV6 brings a sleeker design than those it shares a platform with. Many people, when they saw Kia’s quasi-futuristic styling, wondered what was up: How can a Kia be quite this cool? Up front it’s wide and aggressive, while its rear has hints of Aston Martin crossed with peacock. From the side its long nose gives way to lots of metal. See, while the EV6 may look like a compact package, it’s actually pretty big (by European standards, at least). Thankfully, its shape works well with its dimensions, since the Ionic 5, in my opinion, doesn’t. Score one for Kia in that particular EV triumvirate.

When you see them out in the open, especially en masse, you wonder just how long you slept for the previous night. Has a small invading Martian fleet appeared on Earth? Or were you unconscious for a decade? Either way, the EV6 is a refreshing sight.

Its interior is less out there, more traditional. The two-spoke steering wheel looks a little strange if you’re used to, well, not two spokes. The majority of the car’s functions are accessed via a hefty touchscreen. It’s smooth, not something you’d end up lamenting a lack of buttons for. That said, it can be a bit fiddly to switch between the infotainment screens and the air-conditioning settings at first; it just takes some getting used to.

Kia’s infotainment setup is slick. The nav is intuitive, the satellite-radio controls don’t unnecessarily hide stations behind menus, and Bluetooth phone calls are a breeze. Much like most modern cars, though, having both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto onboard means drivers don’t need to pay Kia’s efforts any heed at all.

A flat floor in the rear means passengers won’t need to worry about sitting three abreast, and if the people up front are on the shorter side, they’ll have more than enough legroom. In the back, there’s enough trunk space for a family of four to have a weekend away, but not much more than that.

Kia is offering a few trims, but the current range topper is the $71,600 (U.K.–U.S. exchange at the time of writing) GT-Line S. This comes with two motors, one up front and one at the rear. Their combined power output is 321 hp and 446 lb-ft, good for 0–62 mph in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 114 mph. That’s brisk enough for the day to day, don’t you think? Kia’s paired those motors with a 77.4-kWh battery that gives the EV6 a 300-mile combined driving range (according to the European WLTP cycle)—more than enough for 99 percent of drives (but kudos to drivers who manage more than 300 miles per day). Kia’s (U.K.) math works out to be 3.45 miles per kWh. When it comes to keeping the battery topped up, you can sling it on a 150-kW fast-charger and charge from 10 to 80 percent capacity in just 18 minutes, which isn’t much time at all. No, it’s not as fast as brimming a tank of gas, but that’s sounds too tedious, maybe EVs aren’t for you just yet.

Kia’s given the EV6 a bunch of paddle-mounted energy regen settings, all the way from none at all to not needing to use the brake pedal to slow down. While you’re driving, you can flip the paddles and pretend you’re skipping down gears if you want to, but it’s best to just find your groove and leave it.The same goes for the car’s three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. They offer suitably different experiences, but you don’t need to be constantly flicking between all three. Eco does what it does in any other car—softens the controls and uses as little energy as possible to keep you trucking longer. Normal feels the most, well, normal, and Sport makes the car feel far more aggressive than its looks suggest. If anything, you don’t need to bother with Normal, as the other two cover all the bases you could possibly want.

Throttle response in all modes is smooth, braking is strong, and steering gives you feedback suitable for a family SUV. Sport mode is a giggle, as it does a decent job of flinging you down the road, but the EV6 is easy to overwhelm if you push it a little too hard. It’s a heavy car at 4607 pounds, and no matter how trick Kia’s springs are, if you try to fling it into a corner with too much enthusiasm, you’ll cause some problems. At lower speeds, the car is neatly balanced, but even a little bit of extra grunt nets you some body lean. You have to find the sweet spot and remember that it’s a family wagon. Though a hotter version is on the way.

The all-wheel-drive GT-Line S does feel planted in all conditions, with power finding the way to the road neatly. Lower-spec RWD versions can get a little tail-happy if you’re not careful—the joys of EV insta-torque.

Cruising around in silence is no longer the novelty it once was, but to do so in Kia’s latest is a good time. It’s a relaxing, brisk ride that stands out in a landscape full of homogenous boxes. It’s far from perfect, but it’s certainly good enough to warrant eyes moving from other, more obvious competition.

Hyundai and Kia are not wasting time launching their first purpose-built electric vehicles, the Ioniq 5 and the EV6 and both are proving remarkably competent at the hands of reviewers. Over the past few days, I had the chance to drive the hot new EV6, in a very interesting spec, and I came out of the experience impressed and excited for future EVs built on this platform, the much talked-about E-GMP.

The Kia EV6 is a rival to models like the Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Mustang Mach-E and the upcoming Nissan Ariya. It also has an in-house rival, in the form of the aforementioned Ioniq 5, but even though they are mechanically similar, they feel like two quite different cars - the EV6 is the sporty one, while the Ioniq 5 is more laid back, softer and more relaxing; it also has a smaller battery pack in some markets and a bit less range too.

First I’d like to talk about the way the EV6 looks. In photos, it may not be the most attractive thing, but when you see it in person, you discover it’s nowhere near as strange as you thought it was. This was my experience with it, and in the metal, it looked like a sportier Jaguar I-Pace with a bit of Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo about it - not bad at all, although still not as cool as the Ioniq 5 in my book.

The exterior has some really cool touches, such as the flush pop-out door handles, the sporty wide flanks, very cool rear light clusters and say what you want about it, but this vehicle is definitely unique and it has presence. You won’t mistake the EV6 for any other vehicle on the road, especially if you see it from behind.

Inside, Kia has gone for a restrained approach with few flourishes. It looks like any modern Kia interior, with a bit more of a premium atmosphere than what the manufacturer offers in its smaller cars. There’s nothing especially interesting about it other than the impressive level of rear legroom, the floor that’s completely flat and the raised driving position that you expect from a vehicle like this.

The infotainment is competent, with great graphics and an impressive range of customization options for many settings - the Kia has an above average number of these options, more than most vehicles. The screen’s response to touch is pretty good, but the system is overall not the snappiest on the market and you sometime have to wait for almost a second before it acknowledges your input.
Driving the EV6 was for me the most impressive part of the experience, though. Even though it’s a fairly tall crossover-type vehicle, it doesn’t really feel like that and the only giveaway is the slightly tall seating position. It really likes corners, thanks to limited body roll and excellently judged, sharp steering and if you disable the traction and stability aids, you can actually have a lot of fun in this vehicle if you find a suitably twisty bit of road, as I did.

It does weight almost 2 tons in rear-wheel drive guise, or over 2 tons if you opt for all-wheel drive with the big battery pack, and there’s no escaping its mass through the corners. You can throw it into corners, but while it is sharp, it’s not as agile as a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo (which interestingly is even heavier than the Kia...).

My tester was the long range, rear-wheel drive EV6, with a 225 horsepower rear motor that pushes the vehicle to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds and to sixty miles per hour in 6.9 - 7 seconds. It tops out at 185 km/h (115 mph) and it frankly isn’t the most thrilling vehicle in terms of acceleration and to me it actually felt a bit slower than the figures said it was going to be.

I felt no acceleration difference between this and the 200 horsepower ID.4, for instance and the Volkswagen is one second slower to sprint on paper. If you want to really feel like you’re driving a powerful EV, then get the dual-motor EV6 that gets an additional 100 horsepower and a lot more torque - it really makes a difference for performance.

When I got the car from Kia, it was charged to 100 percent, and with outside temperatures hovering around freezing, it displayed 355 km (220 miles). I adjusted the climate settings, put the vehicle in Eco mode and drove it for a bit and then it jumped to 412 km (256 miles), before starting to decrease normally.

The second number is really impressive given the fact that the EV6 LR RWD has a claimed range of 528 km (328 miles) on the WLTP test cycle. Based on the experience of driving this example in winter, it seems like you can get around 500 km (310 miles) on one charge in this vehicle if you drive it in warmer weather, although not in the middle of summer when you will have to use a lot of juice to cool the cabin.

All in all, the EV6 is a great electric vehicle with industry-leading charging speeds (240 kW in vehicles with the large battery or 180 kW for the smaller pack), great handling, lots of tech and really a lot to like. Check out the video review to get an even more detailed picture.

When it comes to rivals, I don’t think the EV6 is a better choice than the Tesla Model Y in this segment, although it does plenty of things better than it. I think the EV6 is a rival for all the talented new electric crossovers that are being launched by established automakers - it is probably the closest thing we have to a Tesla (Model Y) killer on the market right now.

One of the key pieces of the 2022 Kia EV6 puzzle is finally here: pricing. The base model, called Light, comes with the 58-kWh battery pack for a range of 232 miles. It also gets a single rear motor making 167 horsepower. It starts at $42,115, including destination charge. It's eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which brings the effective price down to $34,615. Rebates in other states will bring that price down further.

Above the Light are the Wind and GT-Line models, which get the larger 77.4-kWh battery pack. They're offered with either a single rear motor that makes 225 hp, or dual motors and all-wheel drive that together make 320 hp. With a single motor, range for the big-battery models is 310 miles, and dual motors drop range to 274 miles. Pricing, as well as other specifications, haven't been released for the high-performance GT, yet. The EV6 line's pricing so far is listed below:

• Light: $42,115
• Wind RWD: $48,215
• Wind Dual Motor AWD: $52,115
• GT-Line RWD: $52,415
• GT-Line Dual Motor AWD: $57,115

This pricing makes the Kia EV6 a tad more expensive than its platform-mate, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which starts at $40,925. The $41,955 VW ID.4 is close to the Kia, though cheaper by a couple hundred bucks. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, though, is more expensive than the Kia, starting at $44,995. But when comparing all-wheel-drive variants, the Kia is more expensive than all of these competitors. Full-range Nissan Ariya pricing has yet to be announced, so we're not sure exactly how it fits in with these vehicles.

Kia expects the EV6 will reach dealers in just a few weeks (our review of it is also coming soon) and will be "eligible for sale in all 50 states." We take that to mean that it won't be restricted to just a portion of the country to begin with.

Kia America reports 59,524 car sales in the U.S. in March, which is a 10.5% decrease year-over-year. On the positive side, electrified car sales expanded 55% year-over-year and reached a record level in March.

The South Korean manufacturer delivered 3,156 Kia EV6, after 2,125 first in February, which stands for a noticeable 5.3% of the total volume.

In total, there are already 5,281 Kia EV6 delivered in the U.S., and if only supply will allow, Kia might continue to deliver a few thousand per month, as demand appears to be strong.

Electric vehicles are not perfect. They're generally more expensive than their gasoline counterparts while being substantially heavier. Enthusiasts will also argue they lack the emotion only an ICE can deliver and can't match the driving dynamics of a traditional vehicle. That may very well be true, but there’s no denying an EV is ludicrously quick off the line thanks to its virtually instant torque delivery.

As this video shows, it doesn't have to be a supercar let alone a hypercar to deliver neck-twisting acceleration. A compact crossover, the Kia EV6 is not a sports car in the traditional sense of the meaning. Nevertheless, the range-topping GT variant is a force to be reckoned with and can play in the big leagues when it comes to accelerating from a standstill. YouTuber Petrol Ped lined up the speedy electric crossover against an identical vehicle for a couple of silent drag races to show once again EVs are incredibly quick.

In the first showdown, the EV6 GT managed to reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in only 3.37 seconds, which is already better than the 3.5-second sprint time quoted by Kia. In the follow-up drag race, he managed to improve his performance by lowering the time to 3.27 seconds. That's not too shabby for a practical family-oriented compact crossover that weighs about 2,200 kilograms (4,850 pounds). It's a brave new world out there when a Kia has Porsche levels of acceleration, at least from 0 to 60 mph.

We're expecting a similar level of performance from the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 N since it's going to use the same E-GMP platform and dual-motor setup as the EV6 GT. Details about horsepower and torque are unclear for now, but these shouldn't be too different from the 577 hp and 546 lb-ft (740 Nm) available in the equivalent Kia. Time will tell whether the more luxurious Genesis GV60 will receive the go-faster treatment as well.