Kia EV6: The pure high voltage – Our impressions

It wasn’t that long ago that something cheap and a seven-year guarantee came to mind when you thought of Kia. If any. But the Koreans have shed this past. Whether it’s design, sportiness or technology – they’re right at the front of the pack everywhere. It is probably not entirely coincidental that Ki stands for ascent in Korean. The name alone obliges..

The company also recognized the signs early on when it came to e-mobility. With e-Soul and e-Niro, electric cars were already on offer while elsewhere people were still busy working on the combustion engine – now Kia is taking the excitement to the extreme with the EV6. Because while the e-cars of this world – also the main competitor ID.4 – are still on the road with 400 volt technology, the Koreans have treated themselves to factor 2. That’s already a statement in the market for the masses. Otherwise, only the Porsche Taycan and Audi RS e-tron GT have 800 volts – albeit in completely different price regions.

The technique is more complex, but long ago you want to hit the heart with Kia with your cars. And where, if not with reach and charging time you are currently best? Who, according to the philosophy, has to worry big about radii when he can press electricity for 100 kilometers into the cells at a 350 kW column in not even five minutes? Even notorious black painters slowly go out the arguments.

Especially since you can tailor the EV6. There are also batteries with 58 and 77.4 kWh, rear and four-wheel drive – as well as a spectrum between 170 and 325 hp at reach from 394 to 528 kilometers (WLTP) – in the city should be 740 in it. Tempo 100 lies with four-wheeled and large battery after 5.2 seconds, in case of rear drive with small battery but also just 8.5. It goes up or so to Tempo 185. During the test drives, the speedometer even showed 193.

Strictly speaking, Kia even offers a little more than the parent company Hyundai with the Ioniq 5, which is not exactly identical in construction. The all-wheel drive model of the EV6 has 20 hp more power, gets further with a slightly larger battery – and is also more agile with a wheelbase that is ten centimeters shorter. Hyundai, however, is only too happy to grant the brash daughter. Even the super sporty Stinger they were allowed to have for themselves at Kia.

The Koreans have modeled arched sheet metal around the technology. With a sweeping hood, thick cheeks and a rear with a distinctive spoiler lip. However, the highly exciting shell, including the up to 21-inch wheels, also conceals a little that there is a vehicle that is almost 4.70 meters long and has a wheelbase of 2.90 meters. A little bite for technical connoisseurs: The EV6 has the world’s first mass-produced axle in which the wheel bearing and drive shaft form a single unit.

The digital cockpit is dominated by two 12-inch screens that seem to merge into a kind of cinemascope display. Not exactly a cheap trick – but a nice one too. Praiseworthy: Important functions do not require the hassle of fiddling around in submenus. The identical row of buttons can be used by switching for the navigation system as well as for heating and air conditioning. Exemplary: Anyone who switches between the Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes can read the associated range along with the speed display. It’s just a pity that you have to live with numbers – a pointer graphic cannot be selected.

A completely new feature is what appears to be a floating center console, on which there is a start button and a rotary wheel for the direction of travel. There is plenty of space, you are enthroned on well-contoured seats with futuristic headrests and you can lie flat neatly with a fold-out leg rest, for example during a loading break. Sustainability is also an issue here. Genuine leather isn’t even on offer, instead yarns made from PET bottles and old fishing nets are used for covers and carpets.

There is no shortage of cargo space. Up to 490 liters are available with full seating, and 1.3 cubic meters with the rear seats folded down. This is slightly less than the Ioniq 5 and is due to the dashing silhouette. A compartment under the front hood offers additional space. This “frunk” swallows 52 liters in the rear-wheel drive model, and 20 liters in the all-wheel drive models are still enough for the charging cable. The front engine has to sit somewhere.

The chassis is clearly balanced in the direction of sport, but retains sufficient comfort for short bumps. After all, two tons and more have to be kept level even when driving at high speed. Well solved: Six levels allow highly individual recuperation – including “i-Pedal-Driving”, in which the EV6 actually decelerates to a standstill.

You don’t even have to steer or brake because Kia’s youngest gives you all-round care if you wish, automatically stays on track, keeps the right speed, keeps your distance and – if nothing else helps – throws the anchor. The highlight of the assistance is the optional head-up display, which throws buzzing arrows virtually in front of the eye in the face of the curve. For a car in this class, this is literally great cinema.

Rather unusual for an e-mobile: an impressive 1.6 tons can be hooked to the rear. That’s another 200 kilos more than the VW ID.4 GTX. The only requirement is the large battery. With a small battery, it stays at 750 kilos – even when braking. Of course, the preamble to the basic battery law applies: Dynamism costs distance. And unfortunately also additional weight. So that there are no nasty surprises when it comes to the radius, the EV6 also extrapolates the remaining range when towing a trailer.

But no matter how you travel, at some point you run out of juice. But it doesn’t matter. In just 18 minutes, the level rises from 10 to 80 percent – assuming, of course, that the right column is ready. However, the EV6 can also give – up to 3.6 kW. To do this, you use an adapter to convert the charging connection into a socket to which caravans, e-bikes or even other e-cars can be connected. However, the power donation does not go as far as self-abandonment. It ends as soon as your own battery charge falls below 20 percent.

Of course, none of this comes at a bargain price. For the basic version, Kia calls 44.990 euros – after deducting the premium, there are 35.420. The large battery costs an additional 4000 euros, the all-wheel drive with another 3900 euros. Oh yes – if you should have forgotten: there is still a seven-year guarantee. Also on the battery

If you practice patience and can also be 21.000 euros surcharge, the end of next year beckons the full drone. With the GT package including adjustable chassis, electronic locking differential and large brakes, the Kia EV6 then comes with 585 hp, reaches three digits in the speedometer in 3.5 seconds and reaches a speed of 260 km/h. This is almost identical to the Taycan Turbo – except that it costs almost two and a half times as much.

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