Kia EV6 breaks cover

Kia has officially revealed its first dedicated electric vehicle, the all-new 2021 Kia EV6, which is on the agenda for launch in Australia but not yet locked in.

With the world premiere to take place later this month, Kia has released images of the EV6 in all its glory after recently showing teaser shots that confirmed it would be another new SUV for the South Korean brand.

We can now see that the new Kia EV6 carries an angular, futuristic design that has hints of Skoda and Volkswagen to it and, according to the car-maker, represents a new styling direction dubbed ‘Opposites United’.

The new philosophy is said to embody “Kia’s shifting focus towards electrification” as the EV6 stands apart from other battery-electric vehicles based on combustion-engined models, such as the soon-to-launch Kia Niro small SUV which will be the brand’s first EV in Australia.

“We have our hand up for EV6 and are in discussions [to import it to Australia], but at this early stage I can’t confirm it,” a Kia Australia spokesperson told carsales.

The 2021 Kia EV6 will be joined by a range of new global EVs, spanning from EV1 through to EV9, with larger models, including a flagship SUV, having a higher numeral. A high-performance sports car is also in the works.

A collaboration between Kia’s three global design studios – in Korea, Germany and the US – the EV6 doesn’t have the retro-cool looks of the related Hyundai IONIQ 5, but it doesn’t look like any Kia before it.

The car-maker has also revealed the cockpit, which presents a minimalistic but elegant design with a hint of Scandinavian influence.

The Kia EV6 appears to have the same premium single-spoke steering wheel design as the Genesis GV80 SUV, and comes with a curved high-definition touch-screen that flows seamlessly into the digital instrument cluster.

Kia describes the seats as “slim, lightweight and contemporary” and “clad in modern, visually interesting and robust fabrics created using recycled plastics”.

While the car-maker has not confirmed technical specifications for the SUV, we do know it will be based on the same E-GMP platform as the Hyundai IONIQ 5 mid-size SUV.

That means it’s almost certain to get the same 400V/800V multi-charging capability along with vehicle-to-load (V2L) compatibility that turns the vehicle into a charger or generator on wheels.

If it follows the same route as the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the Kia EV6 be offered with two battery pack options, 58kWh and 72.6kWh. The latter will afford a cruising range of close to 500km between charges.

Speaking of which, charging will take around 20 minutes to go from 10 to 80 per cent (with a 350kW fast charger), and five minutes charging will recoup 100km.

It’s possible Kia may opt for smaller, more affordable battery packs than Hyundai’s strategy, particularly if the EV6 slots into a smaller category.

The EV6 may also borrow the IONIQ 5’s single motor (125kW/350Nm) rear-drive powertrain and high-performance dual-motor (225kW/605Nm) all-wheel-drive rig.

Kia’s global design boss, Karim Habib, said the EV6 has “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”.

Stay tuned for more details later this month.