Kia EV6 showcases new design philosophy
The EV6 is Kia’s first electric vehicle to be based on a dedicated EV platform, the new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that promises clever packaging and under which all further Kia EVs will be based on. The EV6 debuts Kia’s new styling language with a look that we haven’t seen on any Kia before and gives us an idea about how future Kias will look like.
The EV6’s exterior design is a presentation of ‘Power to Progress’, upfront it gets a slim grille and angular headlights with LED DRLs, the DRLs are said to form the 'Digital Tiger face front' which is the evolution of Kia’s famed Tiger Nose Grille for the electric department. We can't really find the similarities though. The EV6 also features Kia’s new larger logo and a clamshell bonnet. Following the current trends, the EV6 is styled like a crossover, the raked rear windshield and the wide rear hips give it a dynamic stance. The EV6 gets slim taillights at the rear with a light bar that spans the width of the boot lid. Also present are two spoilers, one above the taillight and one on the roof.
A spacious interior design is made possible as the EV6 is based on the E-GMP platform made by Hyundai. Slim is the theme on the inside too, the dashboard, the A/C vents and even the seats are all kept rather sleek, for a minimalistic look. The EV6 gets two large touchscreens -- one serves as the digital instrument cluster and the other is a (curved) infotainment screen. Beneath the infotainment screen are touch-sensitive HVAC controls, with haptic feedback. The centre console features a floating bridge that has the start/stop and seat ventilation buttons, there are also two cupholders and a rotary gear selector. The two-spoke steering wheel gets integrated audio control and cruise control buttons. The EV6's design is a joint effort between Kia's three global studios located in Korea, Germany and the USA.
No details about the EV6’s battery pack and motors have been revealed yet, but we expect the EV6 to have a similar setup as the Hyundai Ioniq, which is based on the same E-GMP platform, it has a 77.4-kWh battery pack with a range between 415 to 465 km. The E-GMP platform also supports two-wheel-drive as well as four-wheel-drive, which the EV6 will likely have an option of.
Kia plans to launch seven EV models by 2027 and the EV6, that will make its official debut in the upcoming weeks, is Kia's first step in that plan. Every electric vehicle that will bear the Kia badge will have the EV prefix and a number will follow to denote the model's size. Kia Motors currently sells three new models in India, the Sonet and Seltos SUVs and the Carnival MPV, it remains to be seen when the Korean brand will bring in their electric vehicles to India.
