The Korean automaker has just presented its most powerful production vehicle – the Kia EV6 GT – during the annual Monterey Car Week event.
The Kia EV6 GT made its North American debut on August 19, 2022, at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. The EV6 itself is a potent vehicle, but its hotter GT variant raises the car’s potency to a higher level.
Outstanding Performance
All in the model is optimized for performance: its dual-motor e-AWD powertrain, Dynamic Damping Control, Drift Mode and GT Drive Mode, sport suspension, electronic Limited Slip Differential, Active Sound Design options, and others.
The powertrain comprises a 77.4-kWh nickel-cobalt-manganese battery pack, a front-mounted 160-kW motor, and a rear-mounted 270-kW motor. The total power output achieved is 576 hp (430 kW) and 546 pound-feet of torque.
The Kia EV6 GT needs 3.4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. In AMCI’s independent testing the Kia SUV could out-accelerate a Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder RWD and a Ferrari Roma. The top speed the EV GT gains is 161 mph.
Appearance
The GT variant has visual differences inside and out from the regular EV6, including unique front and rear fascias, neon exterior accents and neon green dash accents in the cabin, racing-inspired sport bucket seats, 21-inch wheels with larger disc brakes and Z-rated Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.
Charging Ability
The EV6 GT comes with the world-first patented multi-charging system that supports 400- and 800-volt DC charging with speeds ranging from 50 to 350 kW. The system allows recharging from 10 to 80 percent in under 18 minutes.
A Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function makes the vehicle a power source on wheels. Electricity flows from the battery to an Integrated Charging Control Unit to provide 1,900 W to electrical appliances/tools/devices and recreational equipment.
Availability
Sales of the Kia EV6 GT begin in the fourth quarter of the year (October – December 2022), when new vehicles will be arriving at the dealerships.
All EV6 GT buyers receive a charging credit of 1,000 kWh at Electrify America stations, useable over a 3-year period.
Kia will announce the pricing closer to the on-sale time.
What Is the Kia EV6 GT Potential On the Market?
Since the regular model is bought pretty well for an electric car, its hotter version has a good chance of appealing to the Americans.
For comparison, from January to July 2022, Kia sold 14,284 EV6s in America, and Ford sold 17,675 Mustang Mach-E vehicles. There were 15,670 sales of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 56,937 sales of the Tesla Model Y, according to www.carfigures.com.
Overall, the Kia EV6 is a very good choice with many advantages, like a lengthy driving range of 310 miles, lively handling and zippy acceleration, quick recharging, a nicely trimmed interior with an intuitive infotainment tech, an ample active safety pack, but….surprisingly undersized cargo area.
The EV6’s sibling, Hyundai Ioniq 5, is cheaper in its base version. It has a larger cargo compartment and a noticeably cushier ride, albeit the EV6’s handling is much sharper.
The Tesla Model Y surpasses the Kia EV6 in cargo and passenger area (can fit 7 occupants), towing capability, acceleration, and driving range. With all this benefits, the Model Y is much more expensive: Kia’s $40,900 – 55,900 MSRP vs Tesla’s $62,990 – 67,990. So, if you want an affordable electric SUV, you’d better choose an EV6.
Source: KIA
