Driving range is often listed as one of the most important obstacles for potential electric car customers to overcome. The 2022 Kia EV6 overcomes that hurdle with ease, but there's another component in Kia's first dedicated EV that completely changes the game.
The distance a vehicle can travel on a fully charged battery certainly matters. But if that battery takes forever and a day to re-charge, the long driving range only does so much good. It may only get you halfway through your journey before you're stuck with a long delay while re-charging.
With up to 480 kilometres of range in the 2022 Kia EV6 EX, the handsome new EV crossover from Kia has long distances in mind. But here are the real highlights:
- • The Kia EV6's 77.4 kW battery can be re-charged to 80% capacity in less than 18 minutes.
- • In just 4.5 minutes, the Kia EV6 can quick charged to 100 kilometres of range.
- • At typical PEI electricity rates of 0.1429 kWh, a full charge in the EV6 should cost around $11.00.
- • That works out to around $2.30/100km, compared with around $16.30/100km in a Kia Stinger.
The 2022 Kia EV6 is going to be available in three trim levels in Canada. The entry-level EV6 EX, which by no means resembles anything "entry", offers an estimated 480 kilmetres of range along with 225 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is optional– range is reduced by around 25 kilometres but power is bumped way up to 370 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque thanks to a second electric motor for the front axle.
Then comes the 2022 Kia EV6 GT Line. Power and range is identical to the EV6 EX AWD, albeit with more equipment and some exterior changes. At the top of the line sits the EV6 GT. This is where power rises to wild levels. The EV6 GT's power is bumped to 576 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque with only a modest reduction in range to 430 kilometres. Not unlike a traditional internal combustion engine, Kia expects very cold weather to drop range to roughly 80% of the normal level.
Back to the charge times, how does Kia aim to charge the 2022 EV6 so quickly? The EV6 will be capable of charging at a Level 3 public charger at 400-volt and 800-volt capacity. That 800-volt capacity is unusual in the electric car world to date, but it's the reason the EV6 will be able to restore battery capacity so quickly. You can see a constantly updated map of public chargers in PEI at ChargeHub.ca.
We'll know more about equipment levels in the three Kia trim levels as we move toward the EV6's Canadian arrival. We'll also know more about how the EV6 will line up for government incentives from both the federal and provincial government in Prince Edward Island. Presently, and provided certain pricing factors are met, the federal government offers a $5,000 rebate at the point of sale for electric cars, and the PEI government adds a further $5,000 rebate along with a free level 2 home charger.
