South Korean carmaker Kia has announced its entry into the Indian electric vehicle market with the EV6. Bookings for the Kia EV6 will start on May 26.
Kia has stated that only a limited number of EV6s will brought into India in 2022. While bookings will open on the 26th of May for the Kia EV6, the South Korean carmaker will only reveal the prices of the electric crossover in the second half of the year.
The Kia EV6 is based on the Hyundai Motor Group’s Electric – Global Modular platform (E-GMP) that also underpings the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric crossover. The E-GMP architecture has been developed from the ground up for electric vehicles and will underpin a host of vehicles from Hyundai, Kia and Genesis in the future.
Kia will be bringing the EV6 into India as a completely built unit (CBU) and prices for the large electric crossover are expected to start above the Rs 50 lakh mark.
In international markets, the Kia EV6 is currently offered in three guises. The base variant of the Kia EV6 draws power from a 58kWh battery pack whilke the higher specced models make use of a 77.4kWh battery pack.
The most powerful offering in the Kia EV6 lineup currently offers 321bhp and 605Nm of peak torque from an all-wheel-drive dual motor setup. The top spec model of the Kia EV6 dubbed the GT-Line delivers a range of 441 kilometres on a single charge. The EV6 GT-Line sprints from 0-100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.
Kia is working on an even faster model dubbed the the EV6 GT which will have 577bhp and 744Nm of peak torque on offer. However, the Kia EV6 GT hasn’t been revealed as of now and is not expected to enter India in the coming months.
The Kia EV6 is 4,695mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,550mm tall. The wheelbase of the Kia EV6 is 2,900mm long and the electric crossover weighs in at 2,055 kilogrammes (curb weight).
The Kia EV6’s E-GMP setup features an 800V electric architecture that allows the Koean electric crossover to charge up at a maximum power output of 270kW. This allows the Kia EV6 to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in just 18 minutes.
The Kia EV6 features three driving modes – Eco, Normal and Sport – which can be selected using either the steering wheel or voice commands. EV6 can also choose the level of brake energy regeneration on offer with the help of the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
The Kia features a rather unique design with triangular headlamps and taillight lightbar that extends onto the rear haunches of the electric crossover. Inside, the EV6 features a minimalisitic setup with twin 12.3-inch display dominating the dash. While one screen acts as the driver’s display the other controls the infotainment setup of the Kia EV6.
Thoughts on the Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 is the South Korean carmaker’s current electric flagship. With its funky looks and classy interior, the Kia EV6 will ensure its owners stand out from the crowd, especially when it silently zips past other vehicles on the road.
Keyword: Kia EV6 India Launch Confirmed - Bookings To Open Next Month