- New KiaEV6 is available for booking in the UK with prices starting at £40,895 (approx. Rs 41.82 lakh)

- Deliveries to commence from October 2021

Kia EV6, the first dedicated electric vehicle from the company is based on the new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The company claims that the new EV6 provides a new level of usability which was not seen before in the BEV (battery electric vehicle) segment. The deliveries of Kia EV6 are expected to commence across Europe in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The following are the top feature highlights of the Europe-bound Kia EV6 –

Spacious cabin

The dashboard of the EV6 gets a minimalistic dashboard architecture to offer a sense of space. The absence of a central transmission tunnel provides 990mm of legroom for rear-seat occupants. The new HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system is split between the inside and outside of the cabin, and the size of the interior portion of the HVAC system is reduced by 55 per cent. This layout ensures a slimmer cockpit design and offers more space for front-seat passengers while securing better cooling performance.

The electric seats have a recline and lift function which optimises body posture and weight distribution while allowing occupants to stretch out, or even get some sleep. The cabin is trimmed in a range of sustainable materials; from vegan leather trims to seat fabrics and floor carpet made using recycled plastics, equivalent to 100 plastic 500ml water bottles per car. The vehicle’s space-saving Shift-By-Wire selector is conveniently placed alongside the EV6’s starter button on the centre console, while the sleek steering wheel integrates key ADAS switches for maximum operability. The touch-type control switches for the vehicle’s heated steering wheel and ventilated and heated seats are also within easy reach for convenience.

Ample Storage Space

The centre storage tray provides ample space for small bags and tablets, and an integrated wireless charging pad enables users to conveniently charge their smartphones. The glovebox is larger than normal thanks to the split HVAC architecture, delivering 10.5-litres of space. The front and rear section offer bottle holders for all occupants. The vehicle offers a 520-litre boot space which can be extended to 1,300-litres with the seats folded. The EV6 also features a front ‘trunk’, or ‘frunk’, providing an additional 52-litres of storage space for RWD models and 20-litres for AWD models, with enough space for the vehicle’s charging cable.

Performance

An Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) enables up to 3.6kW of power to be discharged from the vehicle’s battery via a simple adapter that turns the exterior charging plug into a power socket. The adapter plug will be market-specific, featuring a three-pin plug for UK buyers, enabling the EV6 to charge anything from external domestic appliances to other EVs. Inside the cabin, a handy charging port located under the rear seats allows passengers to charge devices from the vehicle’s battery without the need for additional adapters.

The upcoming Kia EV6 is capable of towing up to 1,600kg when equipped with the 77.4kWh battery both in RWD and AWD configurations. The variant with a 58kWh battery offers a towing capacity of up to 750kg.

In the UK market, the new Kia EV6 is available at a starting price of £40,895 (approx. Rs 41.82 lakh). Deliveries for the new EV6 in the international market will commence from October 2021.