SEOUL - Following hot on the heels of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric car that was revealed last month, Kia has pulled the covers off its EV6.
Not only is the EV6 Kia’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle, sharing the E-GMP platform with its aforementioned Hyundai cousin, but the vehicle also ushers in a new design direction for the Korean brand.
“EV6 was designed under the brand’s new design philosophy, ‘Opposites United’, which takes inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity”, Kia says. This design philosophy will inform the design of all future Kia models.
On the inside, the EV6 promises a spacious environment, thanks to it being built around a platform that’s dedicated to battery cars - in which the batteries are built into the chassis.
Taking pride of place in the cabin is a seamless high-tech curved high-definition audio visual and navigation screen. Kia says the width of the screen creates an “immersive” experience for the driver, while a minimal number of physical buttons offer an uncluttered and soothing driving experience.
The seats, meanwhile, have a slim and lightweight design, and are upholstered in a robust fabric made from recycled plastics.
Kia has not mentioned any of the technical details as yet, but like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, it is likely to offer a choice between various drivetrain configurations and batteries. The Ioniq 5, for the record, offers a choice between two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the latter producing up to 225kW, and a range of up to 480km between charges, depending on the model.
Kia will no doubt furnish further details soon. At this stage it’s also not known whether the EV6 will come to South Africa.