Photo: Kia
Kia recently introduced its new “Opposites United” design philosophy, focusing on five pillars: Bold for Nature, Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life, and Tension for Serenity. As a part of that strategy, the automaker revealed images and details of its first dedicated battery electric vehicle — the Kia EV6. This new Kia EV will compete with the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Volkswagen ID.4, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming Kia model and how it compares.
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Powertrain and efficiency
Efficiency and eco-friendliness are often the top reasons for purchasing an EV. Range anxiety is now a thing of the past, with many automakers proving that electric vehicles can travel long distances on a single charge.
FuelEconomy.gov lists the combined MPGe for the 2021 Mustang Mach-E at 90 MPGe, the 2021 ID.4 at 97 MPGe, and the 2022 Ioniq 5 at 119 MPGe combined. Because the 2022 EV6 is still fairly new, no official estimates have been made by the site. But based on the fact that Hyundai and Kia share similar platforms, we can likely expect the EV6 to reach comparable numbers as the Ioniq 5.
The same can be said for battery range. While no official numbers have been released, Car and Driver expects the Kia EV6 to get between 258-290 miles on a single charge, depending on the trim you choose. The Mustang Mach-E can reach 211-305 (depending on battery pack and electric motor on your model), the ID.4 gets 260 miles, and the Ioniq 5 is expected to reach 290-300 miles of range.
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Photo: Kia
Pricing
While the official MSRP has not been released by Kia, the EV6 is estimated to sell near the $45,000 mark, with the performance-based GT trim coming in a bit higher. Here’s how much the competition costs:
- 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: $42,895 MSRP; $60,500 for range-topping GT trim.
- 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: $39,995 MSRP; $43,995 for range-topping 1st Edition trim (currently sold out).
- 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5: $45,000 MSRP (estimated); no additional estimates available.
Availability
Only the Mustang Mach-E and the ID.4 are available to own at this time. Per Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 is “Coming Fall 2021,” with the option to receive e-mail updates in the meantime. Kia has stated that the new EV6 will be produced in South Korea and “will go on sale in select global markets starting from the second half of 2021.” However, online reservations have already begun in some regions, but not in North America. After scouring the Kia U.S. website, there’s not even a hint of the EV6 anywhere.
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Although we don’t know much about pricing and fuel economy right now, there’s plenty to learn about the design and styling of the Kia EV6. Following in the footsteps of recent updates to existing models like the Sorento and K5 (Optima), this electric Kia looks like it will be just as appealing as its predecessors. While we wait for more details to be announced, feel free to check out the Kia EV6 playlist below that includes the backstory about the model’s inspiration as well as its world premiere livestream.
Watch: 2022 Kia EV6 Design and Inspiration
Ben never thought he’d be writing about cars for a living, but here he is, knowing more about the Kia Stinger than he’d care to admit. When he’s not devoting his time to researching engine specs and other oh-so-exciting car details, he can be found enjoying time with his wife and dogs. See more articles by Ben.