Kia EV6 2022: price undercuts Ioniq 5 for February release date

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Pricing has been announced for the 2022 Kia EV6, with the all-electric crossover set to arrive in Australia in February in a three-variant lineup commencing at $67,990 before on-road costs.

Unlike the single-variant Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is closely related to the EV6 under the skin, Kia will offer its new electric SUV in entry-level EV6 Air and upmarket EV6 GT-Line variants to broaden the amount of choice for Australian buyers.

While the base-model Air will be offered only with single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD), priced at $67,990, the more lushly-equipped GT-Line can be specified with RWD ($74,990) or with dual-motor AWD for $82,990.

500 units of the Kia EV6 are slated to come to Australia in 2022, with the first batch of 120 to 130 vehicles currently on the water with initial deliveries expected in late February or early March.

All Kia dealerships in Australia will eventually be capable of selling and servicing the EV6, with about 85 percent of the company’s 100-plus dealer network already set up – with dealers already holding a few hundred firm deposits.

Sales will be conducted exclusively by Kia dealers, with individual outlets given power to decide which customers and orders to prioritise. Online sales were considered but rejected.

RWD and AWD offered, long-range battery

Single-motor RWD variants use a motor on the rear axle to produce 168kW of power and 350Nm of torque via a single-speed automatic transmission, while the AWD variant puts out 239kW/605Nm via an additional 74kW/255Nm front motor, while its rear motor is detuned slightly to 165kW.

Riding on the Hyundai-Kia-Genesis e-GMP modular electric vehicle platform, all variants use a common 77.4kWh usable battery that provides around 480km of range in the GT-Line AWD and up to 526km of range in the Air, which is the most efficient model in the lineup.

The e-GMP platform is capable of 800-volt charging, meaning theoretical maximum charging speeds of 350kW DC for very zippy recharging from 10-80 percent range in just 18 minutes: that’s quicker charging than a Porsche Taycan or Tesla Model Y.

The EV6 enjoys one additional battery module over and above the Australian specification of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is offered in one luxury specification priced at $71,000 for RWD and $75,000 for AWD – meaning the Kia offers slightly more range.

Kia Australia has also received approval to import a globally-available, smaller 58kWh battery for the EV6 – which would be cheaper – but it has declined to do so at this time as it studies market conditions.

Entry-level model dubbed EV6 Air

Priced at $67,990 before on-road costs, the EV6 Air is the entry-level specification of Kia’s first dedicated EV. You’ll spot it immediately by its unpainted black cladded wheel arches and smaller 19-inch wheels that should endow it with the best ride of any EV6.

Not really a true base model, the Air has LED headlights and taillights, dual curved 12.3-inch displays, wireless phone charging, a smart key with push button start, dual-zone climate control, AEB (including junction AEB), lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control.

However, the cheapest EV6 for Australia makes do with manually-adjustable cloth seats (though the driver scores power lumbar adjustment), and the flush door handles don’t expose themselves automatically: they’re also manual.

All grades of EV6 benefit from USB ports mounted in the backs of the front seats, plus interior vehicle-to-load, providing 3.6kW of power to external devices like laptops or lights. Rain-sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, solar glass and remote-folding second-row seats are also standard, along with satellite navigation and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Six colours are available on the Air variant: Snow White, Aurora Black, Runway Red, Yacht Blue, Steel Grey and ‘Glacier’. No solid colours are offered; red is expected to be the standard hue while the others will attract a fee that is yet to be announced.

Upmarket GT-Line spec is current EV6 flagship

A $7000 upgrade buys you an EV6 GT-Line RWD, which Kia expects to account for 40 percent of sales – an identical proportion to its $8000-dearer AWD sibling, while the entry-level Air will bring in 20 percent of customers.

No matter whether you choose the GT-Line in RWD or AWD flavours, you score better Continental tyres wrapping 20-inch wheels and a sportier body-kit which also integrates an exterior vehicle-to-load power outlet. You’ll also note glass that is laminated up front and tinted in the back.

Inside, the GT-Line adds artificial leather and suede upholstery and 64-colour ambient lighting, plus a 14-speaker Meridian stereo, power front seats with a ‘relaxation’ setting, plus heating and cooling, a heated steering wheel, and an augmented reality HUD.

Further additions beyond the Air include a power tailgate, power child locks, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and Kia’s blind spot camera system – while the AWD model exclusively gains a ‘wide’ sunroof.

Colour-wise, the GT-Line ditches the Air’s Steel Grey and Glacier tones for an exclusive Moonscape matte grey colour – the brand’s first matte paint that will attract a further cost on top of the premium paint fee.

While a light interior colour scheme is offered on the EV6 overseas, sadly this will not come to Australia: the brand has selected a dark cabin theme as the only choice.

The EV6 GT-Line will do service as the flagship of the range until the 430kW EV6 GT arrives locally in Q4 2022.

Charging benefits could be announced soon

Some ownership benefits for the EV6 are yet to be announced; when asked if a complimentary or subsidised subscription to a public charging network would be included, Kia Australia general manager of product planning Roland Rivero told media that such a package “was being worked on, with more details to come – probably at the February event.”

A seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the EV6, though a more limited seven-year/150,000km warranty covers the high-voltage components.

Kia EV6 2022: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• EV6 Air RWD: $67,990
• EV6 GT-Line RWD: $74,990
• EV6 GT-Line AWD: $82,990