Once upon a time, Tesla had a monopoly on electric vehicles capable of going fast. As more brands enter the electric sphere, insanely fast cars have almost come to be expected from every brand.
Kia is the latest brand to do so, revealing details around the sharp EV6 just recently, and what's more — it has also been confirmed for New Zealand.
The EV6 represents Kia's very first dedicated battery-electric vehicle and is one that looks nothing like anything that's previously come from the Korean brand.
In New Zealand, the EV6 range will start with a standard-range model that's powered by a 58kWh. This is paired with a 125kW electric motor in the rear-wheel drive model, which will get it to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.
Moving up the range will get you to the long-range model which gets its power from a 77.3kwh battery that's capable of 510km on a single charge. In the rear-wheel drive model, this is paired with a 168kW motor on the rear axle, while the all-wheel drive model gets a motor on each axle to create a combined power figure of 239kWh.
This long-range, all-wheel drive EV6 will complete the 0-100k/h sprint in just 5.2 seconds, but it isn't the fastest in the range.
That title is reserved for the EV6 GT, which gets 430kW and 740Nm of torque, and sends this to all four wheels. The GT will accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.5 seconds before topping out at 260km/h.
“The GT version of EV6 demonstrates our technological leadership through its combination of outstanding high-speed charging and acceleration performance like a super sports car,” says Albert Biermann, President and Head of R&D Division for Hyundai Motor Group.
”With our dedicated EV platform, there is no need for compromise between inspiring spaciousness and performance.”
Like most high-end EVs, the GT offers 800V charging, which means that it can go from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes. In other words, it'll get 100km of range in less than five minutes.
Interestingly, with more than 35% charge in the battery, the EV6 will be able to tow up to 1,600kg. While this isn't as much as your average ute, it's a big step in the right direction for EV practicality.
While no specific delivery date has been provided, prospective buyers are able to express their interest on Kia New Zealand's website.