Kia's Stylish EV6 GT Electric Car Shocks With 577 Horsepower, Goes 0-60 MPH In 3.5 Seconds
Built on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, the EV6 rides on a relatively long 114.2-inch wheelbase, which is longer than that of the Kia Sorento 3-row crossover (110 inches). However, at just 184.3 inches in length, it’s about 4 inches shorter than the Sorento. The EV6 has taught proportions, short overhangs, and its overall styling gives us a preview of how future Kia vehicles will look.
Perhaps the most exciting design cue is the line that starts at the base of the front door and sweeps upwards towards the rear wheel well and then continues upwards to meet the rear taillights. The taillights then wrap high around the rear of the vehicle. There are also blacked-out A-pillars and a “floating roof” design trick that seems to be all the rage these days with sedans and crossovers.
Inside, the dashboard takes on a futuristic tone with dual 12-inch displays – one for the instrument cluster, one for infotainment – positioned behind a single piece of curved glass. There’s also an optional augmented reality heads-up display (HUD) which can project information like speed, navigational directions, and road signs on the windshield directly in front of the driver. The EV6 will come with what Kia calls High Driving Assist 2, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane-centering technology. The vehicle can change lanes on its own volition while signaling and can steer/brake automatically to avoid an impending accident. Another optional feature will be Remote Smart Parking Assist, which can automatically position the vehicle in or out of a parking spot with you either in or out of the driver’s seat.
Getting down to brass tacks, the EV6 will be available in various configurations in both RWD and AWD forms. Base models get a single, rear-mounted 168HP/258 lb-ft electric motor and a 58-kWh battery pack. Stepping up to the AWD variant adds a second motor upfront for a total of 232HP and 446 lb-ft of torque. Stepping up to the 77-kWh battery boosts the RWD model to 225HP/258 b-ft, while the AWD version goes to 321HP/446 lb-ft. 0-60 times are pegged at 5.2 seconds for the latter model with a WLTP driving range of 316 miles (EPA range will likely be below 300 miles).
The EV6 GT will also be available for performance junkies. This trim will also use the 77-kWh battery pack but will come standard with AWD. However, its uprated motors will combine for a staggering 577HP and 546 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle will go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.5 seconds.
All EV6 models use an 800-volt platform, which allows the battery to go from a 10 percent to 80 percent charge in just 18 minutes. The battery pack also supports two-way charging, which means that you can also plug in an adapter to provide 3.6 kW of power for a wide variety of devices, from a TV to a refrigerator to even an air conditioner. So, if the power goes out at your house during a storm, you could just plug in your “must-have” appliances to your EV6 in a pinch.
Kia hasn’t announced pricing for the EV6 yet, but we’d imagine that it will start around the $40,000 mark when it lands in the United States in early 2022.
