Kia’s EV6 reimagines the electric vehicle ownership experience

Kia’s new all-electric vehicle, the EV6, promises to deliver the very best ownership experience by making the electric lifestyle a viable option for day-to-day mobility.

Kia’s EV6 has removed the perceived barriers that prevent many from making the switch to electric. As Kia’s first dedicated EV, it provides rapid charging times, access to an extensive charging network, impressive long range, segment-leading interior space and can even act as a portable battery pack to charge electrical appliances or other electric vehicles. The EV6 is designed inside and out to deliver the very best experience an EV can offer, making ownership as convenient and accessible as running an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, and with reduced environmental impact.

New electrification experience
Kia’s EV6 is built on the company’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) designed exclusively for its electric vehicles. This provides immediate advantages over adapting existing platforms designed to accommodate a combustion engine. The E-GMP architecture ensures that EV6 provides a new electrification experience with powerful driving performance, ultra-fast charging, increased range, and enhanced safety. 

The E-GMP also means that, despite its compact exterior dimensions, the EV6 offers class-leading space within. A long 2,900mm wheelbase and minimal front and rear overhangs provide cabin space similar to that of vehicles in larger segments. Exceptional legroom of 1,078mm at the front and 990mm at the rear ensures space and roominess for all passengers to enjoy.

Banish charge anxiety with multi high-speed charging system
EV6 introduces an innovative multi high-speed charging system which provides EV6 drivers with access to a broader charging infrastructure. Multi high-speed charging means that the system is compatible with both 800V ultra-fast charging and more mainstream 400V fast charging without the need for any special adapter or additional on-board charger.

Stopping at an 800V charger feeds the current directly to the battery at ultra-fast speeds, charging the EV6 battery from 10-to-80 per cent in just 18 minutes with a maximum power of 239kW. When the car stops at a more mainstream 400V charger, the vehicle’s motor and inverter convert the 400V current from the charging station into 800V, charging the battery at the maximum power provided by it.

Market-leading range
Kia has raised the standards of range performance with the combination of E-GMP architecture, power electronics and design that give EV6 one of the best all-electric ranges on the market.

The EV6 comes with a choice of fully electric, zero-emission powertrain configurations, including a standard-range (58kWh) and long-range (77.4kWh) high voltage battery pack (all UK models offer the 77.4kWh battery pack as standard). Homologated WLTP values confirm that the rear wheel drive 77.4kWh EV6 can travel up to 528 kilometers on the combined cycle (combined electric energy consumption 16.5 kWh/100km). That’s similar to the distance from Geneva to Paris on a single charge. Less frequent charging removes one of the most significant barriers to EV ownership.

The all-wheel drive EV6 can also deliver a strong range performance; 506km on the combined WLTP cycle. All-wheel drive combined electric energy consumption is as low as 17.2 kWh/100km.

Comprehensive infrastructure
The EV6 will indicate when its charge is low and using dynamic POI’s and real time availability status, the driver will be guided to the nearest charging station using the on-board navigation system. Kia’s relationship with part-owned IONITY offers EV6 customers access to reduced kWh prices at over 400 high power charging stations across 24 European countries via the Kia Charge solution. The IONITY network uses the leading European charging standard CCS (Combined Charging System) and is sourced by 100 per cent renewable energy meaning EV6 drivers can travel emission-free and carbon neutral.

The Kia Charge solution (provided by Digital Charging Solutions) gives EV6 owners additional access, and POI guidance, to around 205,000 charge points across Europe, including AC and DC connectors. The Kia Charge app provides a link between the Charge Point Operators and Kia, as the Mobility Service Provider that manages subscriptions and payments for three levels of membership subscription depending on usage levels.

Kia Charge provides access to more than 17,000 charging connectors in the UK, with additional bolt-on tariffs available for the IONITY and bp pulse charging networks.

Portable power
Kia has developed an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) which controls built-in bi-directional chargers, and the Vehicle Charging Management System (VCMS). The ICCU enables up to 3.6kW of power to be transferred from the vehicle battery to other devices. This vehicle to load (V2L) function allows occupants to charge electrical items on the go, such as a laptop, or home appliances using an outdoor V2L gender connector.

Vehicle to vehicle (V2V) charging is also possible whereby power can be transferred to another electric vehicle, for example in an emergency, with the use of an In-Cable Control Box (ICCB) cable and the V2L gender connector. EV6’s own battery is preserved by ensuring state of charge does not fall below 20 per cent at which point the V2V is disabled.

Each of the carefully designed innovations available on the EV6 have been developed to ensure ease of use, intuitive functionality and to make EV ownership a more accessible and viable option for more people.