Crossovers aren’t the most exciting cars out there, and we could say the same thing about the vast majority of electric vehicles as well. However, Kia is looking to change our perception with the new EV6 and its sporty GT version. Packing dual electric motors, all-wheel drive, and an electronic limited-slip differential, this electric crossover aims to be a true performance car.
It certainly has the technical specs to support its sporty credentials, offering a generous total output of 577 horsepower and 740 Newton-meters (546 pound-feet) of torque. The electric punch grants the Kia EV6 GT with a sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds, en route to a top speed of 162 mph (260 km/h), which is mighty impressive for an electric car.
Available only with AWD and a 77.4-kWh battery pack, the GT will represent the crown jewel of the vast EV6 lineup. The family will also include a sporty-looking GT-Line available with either rear- or all-wheel drive and a choice between a smaller 58-kWh battery and the bigger 77.4-kWh pack. If efficiency is what you’re after, you will want the rear-wheel-drive model with the larger battery as that one will do in excess of 316 miles (510 kilometers) between cycles, according to the WLTP cycle.
As already seen in the mechanically related Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Kia EV6 benefits from fast-charging capabilities. It needs just 18 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80%, and it takes just four and a half minutes of charge to offer 62 miles (100 kilometers) of range. You can use the vehicle’s battery to charge external electrical devices as the EV6 benefits from bi-directional charging like its Hyundai cousin.
Being a crossover, it has to be practical. Thankfully, Kia has engineered the EV6 for the whole family, offering a cargo capacity of 520 liters that can be extended to 1,300 liters after folding the rear seats. There’s an additional storage compartment at the front and it offers an extra 52 liters for the single-motor RWD version or 20 liters for the dual-motor AWD model.
As expected, the EV6’s dimensions are similar to those of the Ioniq 5, although the Hyundai model has a longer wheelbase and sits slightly higher. Kia’s version is 4,680 mm (184 inches) long and features a wheelbase stretching at 2,900 mm (114 inches). It’s 1,880 mm (74 in) wide and 1,550 mm (61 in) tall, making it a compact-to-midsize electric crossover.
Kia is already accepting preorders in some parts of the world and will launch the EV6 electric crossover in the second half of the year, with production taking place in homeland South Korea.
Source: Kia
Attached below are images of the 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line.
