COVER STORY

The joy of six...

LECTRIC CAR SALES HAVE INCREASED SHARPLY OVER the past two years – one unforeseen outcome of the Covid pandemic has been a speeding-up of the switch to electric vehicles. At the forefront of developments have been the Korean car makers. Like everyone else, Kia and Hyundai have been playing catch-up with Tesla, but now, as they reveal their first ground-up EV designs, it’s clear that the gap has been closed.

continued on next page

Mark Bursa

data

price as tested

warranty insurancegroup ved £43,945 84 months/100,000 miles 34A A

performance

powertrain transmission systempower systemtorque 0-62mph Electric motor Single-speed, RWD 226PS 350Nm 7.3sec

topspeed batterycapacity

114mph 77.4kWh recharge (0-80%) 18 mins (350kW) recharge (0-80%) 7hr 20mins (Type 2) co2 emissions 0g/km electricrange (WLTP) 328 miles

dimensions

length width height wheelbase loadspace 4,680mm 1,880mm 1,550mm 2,900mm 490l (rear) + 52l (front)

continued from previous page

The EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated EV design. Earlier models such as the e-Niro and Soul EV were electric adaptations of conventional cars, but there are no ICE options on the EV6. It’s the first dedicated EV of 11 new battery-powered models planned to be launched by Kia by 2026.

And with a combination of greater range, rapid charging, interior space and executive-level comfort, EV6 is an impressive next step for Kia.

EV6 comes with a choice of two powertrains: 226bhp RWD single motor or 321bhp AWD dual motor. AWD models have two electric motors – a larger 165kW electric motor in the back, and a smaller 74kW motor up front, And there are three trim grades available from launch: Air, GT-Line and ‘GT-Line S, with a high-performance GT version to follow.

Being an electric car, it has been designed without the need for transmission tunnels or large engine bays. So the 77KwH battery pack is fitted under the floor, while the cabin can be optimised with a relatively short nose. The overall look is of a crossover, and this sort of profile – a taller stance thanks to the low battery pack – is very much “the look” for a modern electric vehicle.

The EV6’s flat floor provides rear seat occupants with 990mm of legroom, while front seat occupants have up to 1,078mm of legroom. Despite the EV6’s relatively compact exterior dimensions, no longer than a compact saloon, its 2,900mm wheelbase is longer than that of the Sorento SUV, the largest car Kia sells in the UK. This results in cabin space on a par with a mid-size SUV.

The Kia EV6 shares its platform with Hyundai’s recently launched Ioniq 5, and the basic powertrain is the same. This means the EV6 has the same impressive rapid-charging ability as the Hyundai. It’s capable of using the very fastest rapid chargers available – 350kW units – so it can recharge from 10-80% range in just 18 minutes. This puts the EV6 on a par with luxury EV supercars such as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, which are the only other cars on the market at the moment that can recharge at 350kW.

There aren’t that many 350kW chargers yet – mainly on the Ionity network, in which Hyundai/Kia has a financial stake – though more are being added to the network, principally on motorway services. In context, these chargers are 100kW faster than Tesla’s 250kW Superchargers and around 15 times faster than an old 22kW Ecotricity charger from the last decade.

For home charging use, a 7kW station will recharge the EV6 from 10% to 100% in 7hr 20min; a regular domestic three-pin plug will do the job in a painful 32 hours and 45 minutes. If you can only find a 50kW rapid charger on the road, that will charge the car from 10-80% in 1hr 13min. Adding 100 miles or so should take about half an hour.

Performance on paper looks very impressive. The RWD EV6 can travel up to 328 miles on a single charge (WLTP combined cycle). With a power output of 226bhp and maximum torque of 350Nm, it can sprint to 62mph in 7.3sec and reach a maximum speed of 114mph. The AWD EV6 wipes a further 2sec off the 0-62 time, though it’s hard to see a justification for the extra power and torque for private hire purposes.

The underfloor battery pack means there is no compromise on boot space either - EV6 has 490 litres of boot space with the second-row seats in place. The EV6 also features extra storage at the front – a front boot provides an additional 52 litres of storage space for RWD models and 20 litres for AWD models, which is big enough for a small bag or, perhaps more importantly, gives you somewhere to stash the charging cable without it getting in the way of the main luggage bay.

The EV6 marries this practicality with a very stylish and modern interior. It’s minimal – though not quite into Tesla/Polestar territory. The dashboard comprises two 12.3in screens, with a slight curvature. Buttons are minimised but not totally replaced. Many of the systems, including the adaptive cruise control, can be controlled by steering wheel switchgear, but happily there are separate heater/aircon controls, so you don’t have to delve into the infotainment system to turn the heat up a notch.

The EV6’s Shift-By-Wire rotary selector button is placed alongside the EV6’s starter button on the centre console.

On the road, the EV6 feels a substantial, heavy car. Handling is extremely solid as you’d expect from a low centre of gravity and wheels at all four corners. It’s a very competent motorway cruiser, with almost no powertrain noise and a firm ride, with a slight tendency to pitch on bumpier surfaces.

You can optimise your EV range by using the smart regenerative braking system. Operated by paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, you can turn up the level of recuperated kinetic energy across six levels. (the range is none, 1 to 3, ‘i-PEDAL’, or auto mode), depending on the desired level of energy recuperation. The ‘i-PEDAL’ driving mode allows the car to harvest the maximum amount of energy from its brakes, enabling the driver to bring the car to a gentle halt without needing to use the brake pedal.

At any time, and in any mode, you can also hold the left paddle to initiate the maximum level of brake energy regeneration, slowing the car or bringing it smoothly to a stop.

verdict

IT’S EASY TO CALL NEW EVS GAME-CHANGERS, BUT SOME CARS SEEM TO DO MORE

than others to move the game on and remove the nagging anxiety motorists feel about making the switch to electric. Kia EV6 – and its Hyundai sibling, the Ioniq5, are cars that fit the bill. We’re reaching the time when EVs are an integral part of manufacturer strategies, not an add-on. Indeed, the technology is already very robust in terms of motors, and how to package the vehicle. Battery technology is moving on, though, and the important parameters – range and recharging times – are going to be crucial. And this is where EV6 ticks the right boxes. Its recharging technology is as good as anything – 18 minutes for a 10-80% recharge on a proper 350kW supercharger. And 328 miles of range is enough to get you from London to Newcastle without stopping. On top of that, it’s a very attractive and well-made car, with bags of room for passengers and luggage. And with on-the-road prices starting at a shade over £40,000, it’s in the slot as a replacement for a decent diesel saloon such as a Passat or Mondeo. 23

EV9 next up as Kia looks to roll out more EVs

Kia wants to electrify its range in double-quick time. EV6 is the first of 11 new electric cars – seven of them using the “EVx” branding – to be launched by 2026. By 2030, Kia hopes 40% of its annual global sales will be BEVs, PHEVs and hydrogen electric HEVs – that’s 1.6 million cars a year, and around 880,000 will be BEVs.

The next EV model will be the EV9 – Kia has teased an image of the car, an MPV-shaped vehicle aimed squarely at the “mobility” sector – that means taxi and private hire is in its sights. It’ll break cover at a trade fair in Los Angeles later this month.

Kia’s UK managing director Paul Philpott believes the company has already taken a lead over its main rivals though having three EV models in its range already. “Many of our competitors have only one or none at all,” he says.

He believes the success of e-Niro will mean EV6 is taken seriously and will further enhance Kia’s credibility as an EV maker. “No-one questions e-Niro’s 282 mile range and we’re building on that with 328 miles on the EV6,” he says. Kia has had strong demand for EV6 with 1,500 sold prelaunch with no existing user base. Philpott believes it’s a good option for private hire operators looking for a larger car than the e-Niro. “As a product with its capabilities it will be a great proposition for private hire users’ needs,” he says. Kia is a supplier to Uber via specialist suppliers such as Ottocar and Splend, using a number of dealers that are geared up to supply to the sector. “We’re not going to hold back, but it’s all about supply and demand. This year is all about supplying to the order bank – I’d encourage users to think long term and plan ahead,” he says.

In 2022, Kia will be able to offer around 17,000 EV models across the e-Niro, Soul and EV6 ranges - about 18% of the total UK sales mix, with e-Niro taking about two-thirds of it. Doing the maths, that will mean somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 EV6s, so the supply situation should become clearer as the year progresses.

Kia Charge subscription brings down the cost of recharging

Kia EV6 buyers can buy an EV charging subscription to a service called Kia Charge, giving widespread access to large numbers of charge points at discounted prices.

Kia has introduced a new Ionity bolt-on to this service, opening the door to lowcost high-power charging for Kia EV6 owners.

Kia Charge provides access to more than 20,000 UK connectors accessible from a single account – and more than 200,000 connectors across Europe. It provides access to several major charging networks, including BP Pulse, Pod Point, Ionity, Source London, Instavolt, Shell NewMotion, Osprey, Char-gy, and ESB. Several other networks, including certain regional services, are also available.

Being able to access these networks via a single platform negates the need for drivers to sign up to separate accounts with multiple charging point operators. Once signed up, EV6 owners can start a charge via the Kia Charge smartphone app or radio-frequency identification (RFID) card. Instead of numerous individual transactions, payments are made via a single itemised monthly invoice.

Kia Charge offers a choice of two fully flexible tariffs for all customers: Easy and Plus:

EASY:

u Ideal for light users u One-off £1.99 charge to access the service and obtain RFID card u No monthly subscription, £0.49 ‘session fee’ on most chargers (excluding BP Pulse and Pod Point) u Users charged per kWh

PLUS:

u Ideal for those who rely more heavily on public charging u £2.99 monthly tariff, with no up-front charge or session fees u Users charged per kWh, but with 15% discount per kWh from most networks (except BP Pulse, Pod Point and Ionity)

Every user can also add a BP Pulse bolt-on subscription to their Kia Charge account, costing an additional £7.85 per month. This subscription provides users with a discount of up to 40% when charging within the BP Pulse network, compared to the ‘instant’ charging rate.

An Ionity bolt-on also enables Kia EV owners to access discounted rapid charging via Ionity’s high-speed 350kW charging network. With this bolt-on, Ionity’s 400 high-power charging points across 24 European countries offer the same discounted charging rates, facilitating low-cost rapid-charging on cross-continental drives.

Available to Kia Charge users on either of two tariffs, the Ionity bolt-on costs £11.25 per month. The bolt-on reduces the standard charging rate from 70p per kWh by 64% to 25p per kWh. It also eliminates the 49p session fee, meaning a 10-80% EV6 recharge can be done in just 18 minutes and for just £13.55 when plugged in to Ionity’s ultra-fast charging network via Kia Charge.