The automobile industry has been buzzing with new advancements, innovation and trends lately. Numerous automakers are now taking a deep dive into the electric vehicle space, tapping the growth potential that this sector has in store. Kia Motors, a leading manufacturer of vehicles, based out of South Korea, has announced its new electric vehicle 'the 2022 EV6' at Times Square in New York City that will be powered by a battery that can be fully charged within 20 minutes only.
The EV6 is the first car to reflect the manufacturer’s identity shift towards electrification. The company is even dropping the “Motors” in its name and introducing a new logo as explained by the Vice President of Marketing at Kia, Russell Wager, “We're changing our name because we are no longer just about vehicles, we're talking about sustainable mobility solutions, part of that is electrification, and part of that is purpose-built vehicles.”
As a dedicated battery electric vehicle, the EV6 is mounted on a skateboard chassis that Kia calls the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The design is rear-wheel drive biased but supports a second motor upfront for all wheels drive capabilities which is the same skateboard that is shared by sister company Hyundai for its highly-touted IONIQ 5.
The car model also includes the world’s first mass-produced integrated drive axle, which combines the wheel bearings and driveshaft to save weight, improve ride comfort and handling. The basic drivetrain design will include a 160 kW rear motor with a 58 kWh battery. Updating to the higher 77.5 kWh enables the system to draw full potential from the motor, peaking at 218 horsepower and a 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. The Nickel cobalt manganese battery allows up to a targeted 300 miles of range in its largest arrangement.
During opening remarks at the unveiling event in New York City, Kia’s North America President and CEO SeungKyu Yoon said that, “Tonight is a big moment for Kia. The EV6 is the first vehicle to launch under our plan S, which stands for ‘shift’. It marks a new and transformative era in Kia electrification. This shift is really a transformation of our company, and includes a $25 billion dollar investment into an electric future.”
After President Biden asserted his plans to drive the manufacturing and sales of electrified vehicles in the U.S.,the industry professionals are keenly watching the current administration to carry U.S. operators into the future and start advancing in electrified vehicles.
Wager added, “If the US administration delivers on its infrastructure plan the way that they have outlined it, then by 2030 we will have just as many charging stations in the country as there are gas stations. That’s the best way to reduce our carbon impact, and that's what we continually work towards.”
Designed to deliver something different in the crossover class, Kia’s EV6 will be manufactured in South Korea and will go on sale in some global markets starting from the second half of 2021.
