After months of teasing, and even divulging photos and select specifications of the car, Kia has officially and completely taken the wraps off its first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6. The sporty crossover is the first of 11 new electrified models promised by Kia globally by 2026. Offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with up to 576 horsepower and around 300 miles of driving range, the EV6 will go on sale in early 2022.
The Kia EV6 is an electric crossover equipped with an augmented reality windshield and ultra-fast charging. The EV6 will go on sale in all 50 states in early 2022, the automaker said. It did not reveal pricing. It will be among the first vehicles to sport the brand’s new logo, replacing the oval-shaped badge that says “Kia.” The new badge is a stylized version of the brand’s name, resembling a handwritten signature with diagonal strokes on the “K” and “A.”
The performance version of the 2022 EV6 will get up to 300 miles on a single charge, which is about the same as the performance version of the similarly sized Tesla Model Y electric crossover. The EV6 will be paired with what Kia described as the world’s first vehicle capable of charging on an 800-volt system, enabling it to go from 10% to 80% charged in 18 minutes.
Several other automakers have also debuted EVs. Mazda revealed its first EV, the Mazda MX-30, and Mercedes-Benz introduced its first electric sedan, the EQS. Ford, which has sold electric vehicles in small quantities, is poised to debut its long-awaited electric F-150 pickup Wednesday night. Others, including Tesla, GM, and Nissan, have been selling EVs for years. Sharing the same wheelbase as the three-row Kia Telluride SUV, the EV6 will be about the same size as the Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Horsepower ranges based on the powertrain from 167 or 218 for the two rear-wheel-drive models to 313 for a four-wheel-drive version and 576 for the highest trim line, the GT, which will go 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. The EV6 starts a new naming convention for Kia: The Korean brand will start all of its electric vehicles with the EV designation, followed by a number that indicates the vehicle’s size.
Sean Yoon, CEO of Kia North America, said in a statement said: “The EV6 marks a new and transformative era in Kia electrification. This innovative crossover leverages the many benefits of its advanced platform to offer a level of technological excitement and convenience that will provide a superb ownership experience.”
Other features include:
- An augmented reality windshield featuring three-dimensional navigation and vehicle information to help the driver avoid looking away from the road.
- A system that “allows remote parking or exiting a parking spot with the driver operating the EV6 from outside the vehicle.”
- Much like the gas-powered F-150, it can be used as a mobile power source for charging devices, powering a campsite, or even providing backup power at the home.
- The EV6 gets a nickel-cobalt-manganese battery pack combination available in two sizes.
- Optional vegan leather surfaces.
- LED-only lighting on the exterior and interior.
- A front trunk, known to EV owners as a “frunk.”
- A “surround-view monitor,” using four cameras to provide 360-degree video enabling easy parking.
- A rear object alert system while parking.
