Kia has revealed its EV6, an all-electric crossover that carries the burden of spearheading Kia’s all-new design direction. It’s the company's first production car designed from the ground up to be electric-powered alone, too, and is the first of a family of EV-badged cars to come.
The EV6 is Kia’s first purpose‑built EV
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Underneath, the EV6 shares the new E-GMP architecture which first made its debut on the recent reveal of the Hyundai Ioniq 5. That gives it an 800V architecture for 220kW charging, and room for up to a 72.6kWh battery pack good for over 300 miles of range, although Kia hasn’t revealed the specs just yet. It’s larger and occupies a more premium space than the Hyundai, though, seemingly taking aim at the Jaguar I-Pace. As such, we expect it’ll be priced comfortably above the £45,000 top-end price of the Ioniq 5.
The hard and fast figures aren’t the big talking point with the EV6, it’s that design. You’re looking at a touchpoint for all Kias to come. In its silhouette, it very much contorts the crossover formula, resembling a blend of Aston Martin DBX and the aforementioned Jag. That ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy has quite a bit of PR jargon to it but overall, it’s meant to be highly contemporary and modern, while also embracing natural forms. Technical details join smooth linear lines.
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“EV6, as the first dedicated Kia EV, is a showcase of human-centred, progressive design and electrified power,” said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Design Center.
“We strongly believe EV6 is a compelling and relevant model for the new EV market. With EV6 we aimed to create 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.
“Our aim is to design the physical experience of our brand and to create original, inventive and exciting electric vehicles. The ideas of our designers and the purpose of the brand are becoming more connected than ever, with our customers at the centre of what we do and influencing every decision that we make.”
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What do we take from all this? It’s certainly a modern look, a premium look. The nose is sharp, almost Audi R8-like, with a muscular contoured bonnet. Likewise, the profile, as above, has that premium look but without losing the contemporary Korean feel. The same is the case at the back, with that swooping light bar. On the inside, again, it’s premium, with a stylish new wheel, shapely surfaces and sci-fi screens but with that crisp modern Korean touch.
Is all this enough to steer you away from an I-Pace? We reckon it looks great and of course, the all-new architecture is promising. All it’s short of is a bit of raw badge appeal, even with an all-new badge. If it’s priced comfortably under the Jag, the EV6 will be quite a compelling alternative. We look forward to seeing this new family of EVs expand.
