Kia EV6 Australian pricing and specifications confirmed

The Kia EV6 will be priced from $67,990 plus on-road costs and initially be offered in three variants when it goes on sale next month.

The sister car to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will arrive initially only with the larger 77.4kWh with two rear-drive models and one all-wheel drive variant.

There is a base EV6 Air with a single motor, a better equipped GT-Line with rear-drive and the same GT-Line with two motors and all-wheel drive.

TESTED: Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD review
TESTED: Kia EV6 Air review: The entry-level EV put to the test

By the end of 2022 there will also be a more powerful EV6 GT, while in 2023 we’ll likely see more affordable models, possibly with a smaller battery pack with less electric range.

SPECS COMPARISON: Kia EV6 versus Hyundai Ioniq 5
SPECS COMPARISON: Hyundai Ioniq 5 v Tesla Model 3 v Kia EV6 v Polestar 2 v Volvo XC40 EV
EV YEAR AHEAD: Every new electric car coming to Australia in 2022
READ MORE: Kia EV6 hits Australian roads: Sneak peek of EV newcomer
READ MORE: Kia Concept EV9 showcases new all-electric large SUV
READ MORE: Kia ‘most probably’ to be EV brand, 7 EVs from EV1 to EV9

At $67,990 plus costs, the entry-level EV6 Air undercuts the most affordable Ioniq 5 and does so with a larger battery pack (the Hyundai’s largest battery is 72.6kWh) but a lower level of equipment.

The EV6 GT-Line – available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations – is more lavishly appointed (full details are below).

As with the Ioniq 5, the EV6 rides on the Hyundai Group’s E-GMP architecture, which includes an 800V electrical architecture that allows for some of the fastest electric car charging currently available.

The EV6 will be able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes, adding more than 350km of range in the process.

The EV6 GT-Line also gets a vehicle-to-load function that allows up to 3.6kW of electricity to be supplied to external devices. As well as an adaptor for the charge port, there’s also a powerpoint in between the rear seats to make accessing that electricity easier.

As for what type of car it is, the EV6 is officially classified as a large SUV, but it’s easy to see it pushing into the performance car market or acting as more of a crossover.

Kia EV6 Air: $67,990

The EV6 Air is the most affordable model it the range, priced from $67,990 plus on-road costs.

Those on-road costs – including dealer delivery – means it’s unlikely to qualify for the $3000 rebate available in Victoria and NSW, but it should be able to pick up other incentives, including a stamp duty exemption in NSW.

The EV6 Air has an emphasis on efficiency, right down to how far it will travel between charges.

It has a single electric motor driving the rear wheels and producing 168kW and 350Nm.

It’s claimed to reach 100km/h in 7.3 seconds.

Riding on 19-inch tyres with EV-specific tyres designed to have less rolling resistance, the rear-drive-only EV6 Air has a WLTP range of 528km. Those tyres also have polyurethane foam in them to reduce noise.

It’s also got plenty of recycled materials as part of its eco sales pitch.

PET plastic bottles are used in the recycled materials in the carpet and insides of the door pockets, while 20 percent of the seat fabric – a mix of cloth and faux leather (or vegan leather, as it’s marketed) – is made from plastic bottles.

Even the dash is made from post-consumer plastics while the leather-looking steering wheel is made from fake leather.

Outside, there’s an LED “welcome light” that illuminates the rear wheel arches, as well as active flaps in the lower grille designed to optimise aerodynamics while allowing for sufficient cooling when required.

Standard equipment includes dual 12.3-inch displays, smart key entry, dual-zone ventilation, satellite-navigation, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control.

There’s also LED interior lighting, USB charging ports in the backs of the front seats, an electric chromatic mirror and paddles on the steering wheel to adjust the level of regenerative braking.

There’s a high level of safety, too, with a centre front airbag joining the front and side curtain airbags.

Tyre pressure monitors are standard, as are front and rear parking sensors.

Plus there’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with junction turning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and intelligent speed limit assist.

Kia EV6 Air specifications

Price: $67,990, plus on-road costs

Range: 528km WLTP

Battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Battery warranty: 7 years, 150,000km (guarantee of 70 percent of original battery capacity)

Energy consumption:

Motors: 1 rear, 168kW/350Nm

AC charging: 11kW

DC charging: 230kW

0-100km/h: 7.3 seconds

Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD: $74,990

The EV6 GT-Line gets a sportier look courtesy of 20-inch wheels and a body kit that incorporates black wheel arch surrounds, unique front bumper and rear lower bumper.

The flush door handles also fold in and pop out automatically, for added theatre, and there’s tinted rear windows.

A peek inside reveals different plastics and seat finishes, including fake leather and suede.

But there’s also a lot more equipment, including an augmented reality head-up display, 360-degree surround view camera, heated steering wheel, 64-colour ambient lighting, powered tailgate and a stainless steel trim section on the luggage sill.

The additional exterior cameras also enable blind spot view monitor, which places the side view in the instrument cluster when you activate the indicator.

Plus there’s a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, heated and ventilated front seats, front “relaxation seats” (they have extended leg rests) and better sound deadening to hush the cabin.

There are also power-operated child locks for the rear doors and remote park assist, which allows the car to be parked remotely using the keyfob.

The GT-Line also gets the vehicle-to-load function (V2L) that includes a charge port adaptor to turn it into a regular 230V power outlet. There’s also a 230V plug in between the back seats.

The additional weight and those 20-inch tyres lower the WLTP driving range, but at 504km it’s still towards the pointy end of the electric car field.

The dash to 100km/h matches the Air, at 7.3 seconds.

Kia EV6 GT-Line RWD specifications

Price: $74,990, plus on-road costs

Range: 504km WLTP

Battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Battery warranty: 7 years, 150,000km (guarantee of 70 percent of original battery capacity)

Energy consumption:

Motors: 1 rear, 168kW/350Nm

AC charging: 11kW

DC charging: 230kW

0-100km/h: 7.3 seconds

Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD: $82,990

It’s all about performance with the GT-Line AWD, which gets a second electric motor to take the combined outputs to 239kW and 605Nm.

Acceleration to 100km/h takes just 5.2 seconds.

The extra performance and additional weight of the front motor reduce the WLTP range to a still impressive 484km.

But it’s also a big step up in price, that additional motor adding $8000, taking the ask to $82,990 before on-road costs.

The only extra piece of equipment over the rear-drive GT-Line is a sunroof.

Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD specifications

Price: $82,990, plus on-road costs

Range: 484km WLTP

Battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Battery warranty: 7 years, 150,000km (guarantee of 70 percent of original battery capacity)

Energy consumption:

Motors: 1 front, 1 rear, combined outputs 239kW/605Nm

AC charging: 11kW

DC charging: 230kW

0-100km/h: 5.2 seconds