Video: Kia EV6 for NZ

The fully electric Kia EV6 will feature super-car performance, extra-long range, ultra-fast charging ability – and it’s coming to New Zealand probably later this year.

New Zealanders can register their interest on www.kia.co.nz via a special EV6 page.

Kia expects interest to be huge after teasing photos showing a sleek five-door cross-over.

“It’s a very exciting car and its size is ideally suited to the New Zealand market – the wheelbase is similar to that of our Sorento large SUV, so it will be a spacious and comfortable vehicle,” Kia New Zealand managing director Todd McDonald says.

EV6 buyers, including those in New Zealand, will be offered a range of options, featuring long-range (77.4kWh) and standard-range (58.0kWh) high-voltage battery packs, along with two-wheel (2WD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options.

The 2WD 77.4 kWh EV6 has 510km range, the battery pack paired with a 168kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, and for AWD models a 239kW electric motor powers the front and rear wheels. The latter version produces 605Nm of torque, enabling the EV6 to accelerate to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds.

The 58.0kWh EV6 can reach100km/h in 6.2 seconds, with 605Nm torque available on the AWD version, the battery pack paired with a 125kW electric motor powering the rear wheels, and for AWD models a 173kW electric motor powers the front and rear wheels.

Equipped with 430kW dual motors, the top-of the-range EV6 GT provides 740Nm torque, the AWD GT version reaching 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and with a 260km/h top speed.

Kia’s new brand slogan ‘Movement that inspires’ in a new era of electrification will see BEV sales comprise 40% of Kia’s total global sales by 2030 under its new strategy.

EV6 is the first of 11 new BEV models to come from Kia by 2026 – seven built on E-GMP architecture, and four derivative EVs based on existing models.

“EV6 is the embodiment of the new Kia,” Kia president and chief executive Ho Sung Song says.

“It also represents the beginning of Kia’s long-term commitment to sustainable mobility, accelerating the transition not only to clean transportation, but also products, materials and manufacturing.”

While the EV6 is designed with a long wheelbase of 2900mm, the exterior dimensions are still compact, with short overhangs, so it will still comfortably fit within garage and parking building spaces.

It is packed with intelligent and flexible interior features and an abundance of cabin storage areas, including 520 litres (VDA) of boot space with the second-row seats in place. Stowage capacity increases to about 1300 litres with the second-row seats folded, while there’s an additional 52 litres of space under the bonnet in 2WD models and 20 litres for AWD models.

Striking elements include 12-inch dual screens that deliver a wide array of information in a simple yet sophisticated format, providing instant read-outs on the vehicle’s power systems.

Active Sound Design (ASD provides drivers with audible feedback through the speakers on the speed the car is doing.

“The GT version of EV6 demonstrates our technological leadership through its combination of outstanding high-speed charging and acceleration performance like a super sports car,” Hyundai Motor Group president Albert Biermann says.

The EV6’s charging system has an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) which offers a new vehicle-to-load (V2L) function supplying up to 3.6kW and capable of powering a 55-inch television and air conditioner simultaneously for more than 24 hours – also able to charge another EV.

The EV6 is charged overnight at home for daily use, however it offers 800V and 400V charging without the need for additional components or adapters from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes or a top-up charge of 100km range in under 4.5 minutes on a DC system.

An important point for markets like New Zealand is that with more than 35% charge left in the battery the EV6 can tow up to 1600kg.

Kia promises a full suite of safety systems incorporating the latest technologies.

Energy-recuperating technologies used to maximise driving range include Kia’s latest-generation energy-efficient heat pump, which scavenges waste heat from the car’s coolant system.

Drivers can choose from six regenerative braking levels to harvest the maximum amount of energy from its brakes and bring the car to a gentle halt without pushing the brake pedal.