Kia spills details on EV6
Kiwis can start registering their interest for the new Kia EV6 after the marque announced full details of its first battery-electric vehicle (BEV).
The specifications of the five-door crossover have been announced in an international web launch and the car will go on sale in New Zealand later this year.
It will come with a choice of long-range, zero-emissions powertrain configurations, with the top versions able to cover 510 kilometres between charges.
Todd McDonald, managing director of Kia New Zealand, says: “It’s a very exciting car and its size is ideally suited to the New Zealand market – the wheelbase is similar to that of our Sorento large SUV, so it will be a spacious and comfortable vehicle.”
A GT version of the vehicle is also being produced. Equipped with twin electric motors and all-wheel-drive, it can accelerate from 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds and boasts a top speed of 260kph.
The EV6 is Kia’s first car to be based on the company’s dedicated new platform for BEVs.
Options for the EV6 include long-range, 77.4 kWh, and standard-range, 58kWh, high-voltage battery packs and it will be available as two-wheel or all-wheel drive.
The 2WD, 77.4kWh version can travel more than 510km on a single charge on the WLTP combined cycle. The battery pack is paired with a 168kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, and for AWD models a 239kW electric motor powers the front and rear wheels.
Meanwhile, the 58kWh battery pack is paired with a 125kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, and a 173kW motor in the AWD option.
On the inside are 12-inch dual screens to deliver information to drivers about the vehicle’s power systems.
The charging system in the EV6 boasts an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which offers a new vehicle-to-load (V2L) function capable of discharging energy from the vehicle battery.
The V2L function can supply up to 3.6kW of power and is capable, for example, of powering a 55-inch television and air conditioner simultaneously for more than 24 hours. The system can also charge another EV, if needed.
With more than 35 per cent charge left in the battery, Kia says the EV6 can still tow up to 1,600kg.
The vehicle is also designed with a long wheelbase of 2,900mm and has 520 litres of boot space with the second-row seats in place. With those seats folded down, stowage capacity increases to about 1,300 litres.
An additional 52 litres of space lurks under the bonnet in 2WD models and 20 litres for AWD models.
Kia is promising a full suite of safety systems that incorporates the latest technologies to keep the vehicle and occupants safer on the road.
The launch of the EV6 comes as the marque plans to release 11 new BEV models by 2026.
