The Upcoming EV6 by Kia is a Potential Superstar

First Impressions

First impressions are always key. And everyone's first impression of a vehicle they've never seen before is the exterior styling. The Korean marque has done a fantastic job of establishing a youthful brand DNA through its styling in recent years, while also ramping up the premium look and feel of their products. The EV6 is another step in the right direction in terms of visual appeal.

E-GMP Platform

Underneath the nicely styled skin, the EV6 features Hyundai's E-GMP full electric platform, which is one of the most advanced designs in the industry. The compact and lightweight platform provides for improved range as well as advantages in terms of packaging, allowing for more passenger and cargo space.

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Next-Level Regenerative Braking

Drivers of the EV6 will have 3 regenerative braking levels available. The lowest level will produce minimal resistance when you take your foot off the accelerator, while level three will slow you down more significantly. An i-Pedal setting is also available, which is effectively one-pedal driving. In this setting, how far you push the accelerator pedal in will determine your speed. Taking your foot off entirely will bring the car to a rapid stop. Using it effectively could take some getting used to!

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Improved Thermal Management

With the next-gen EV platform also comes benefits such as improved thermal management. Specifically, the damage that can be caused by extremely cold weather has been minimized with this new heat-pump-based thermal management system. This allows the battery to retain 80% of its range at temperatures as low as 19 degrees Fahrenheit. It also helps improve the battery's long-term lifespan. 

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Variety of Driving Range and Performance Options

The three trim levels of the EV6 (Base, GT-Line, and GT) cover a huge range of motor power and battery range options. The base model and the GT-Line will have two battery options: one with a 230-mile range and the other with a 316-mile range. Each of these battery options then offers a choice of RWD or AWD. Lower range batteries will be capable of 167 hp for RWD and 231 hp for AWD. The longer-range options will offer 225 hp and 320-hp respectively. The top-of-the-line GT trim will have a whopping 576 hp and 538 lb-ft of instant torque!

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Charging and V2L

The Kia engineers have made charging the EV6 easy as well. Both 800-volt and 400-volt chargers can be used without any adapters required. Charging the lower range battery to 80% on a fast charger reportedly takes 18 minutes. Interestingly, the car also has a vehicle-to-load function (V2L) that allows you to use its battery to power external electronics.

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Sustainability in Mind

The environmentally-friendly theme goes beyond the emission-free powertrain. The interior upholstery of the crossover is made using recycled plastics. According the automaker, the plastic used in the interior is equal to about 111 plastic water bottles.

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Infotainment and Driver Assists

With the EV6, the manufacturer is introducing its next generation of driver-assist tech. The two 12-inch screens provide all the information the driver needs. Additional systems such as automatic lane change and remote parking assist are there to make life easier.

Pricing for the base trim will reportedly start at $56,000, going up to $60,000 and $80,000 for the GT-Line and GT trims respectively.

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