South Korean carmaker Kia has launched its first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6, which is based on the E-GMP architecture
Kia has launched the EV6 electric sedan in its home market of South Korea. The new EV is expected to go on sale in select international markets later this year. The manufacturer has also revealed that it has received over 30,000 pre-orders for the EV6 in South Korea, while the combined pre-booking figures for Europe and the US are around 8,800.
The EV6 is priced from 47 million won to 57 million won (around USD 40,800 to USD 49,500, or INR 30.34 lakh to 36.79 lakh), and government subsidies in South Korea can help lower the price down to 40 million won. Kia aims to retail 13,000 units of the new electric sedan in its home country, and around 17,000 around the globe this year, as stated by local new reports.
Kia EV6 is built on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP dedicated EV platform, which also underpins Hyundai Ioniq 5. It has a length of 4,680mm, a width of 1,880mm, and a height of 1,550mm. There are two battery options available here – a standard 58 kWh unit and a long-range 77.4 kWh unit. The standard battery is good for a claimed range of 370 km, while the long-range model offers up to 475 km of range.
The EV6 has a peculiar design, with a crossover-inspired body. It has a rather boxy stance, but with a sloping tail section and a concave tail end. The taillamps stretch across from one to the other in a curved fashion, which is a unique design detail. The headlamps, on the other hand, are sharp and sleek, lending the front an aggressive look.
Depending on the variant selected, the vehicle can be had with wheels ranging from 19 to 21 inches in diameter. On the top-of-the-line GT variant of the EV6, Kia offers painted brake calipers as well, which look extremely sporty, and the bumpers are slightly restyled as well.
Kia’s sister company Hyundai has two new EVs in the pipeline – Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 7. The former is scheduled to debut next year, while the latter is slated to arrive in 2024. Hyundai Motor Group aims to become a global electric vehicle powerhouse in the coming years.