Local pricing for one of the most highly anticipated new vehicles of the year has been confirmed. When it arrives in showrooms Kia’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle, the EV6, will start at $67,990.
Three models are set to be offered: the entry-level rear-wheel drive Air, the RWD GT-Line, and the flagship all-wheel drive GT-Line. The latter pairing start at $74,990 and $82,990, respectively.
All three models use the same 77.4kWh battery pack, with the Air unsurprisingly getting the best range of the group, at 528km per charge. Kia claims the GT-Line in its rear-driven format can travel 504km, with the AWD GT-Line capable of 484km.
Both rear-wheel drive models have identical outputs, with power and torque from the single-motor format rated at 168kW and 350Nm respectively. The dual-motor AWD GT-Line, meanwhile, packs 239kW/605Nm, and can accelerate to 100km/h in a claimed 5.2 seconds.
The Air comes with 19-inch wheels, automatic LED headlights, faux-leather interior appointments, adjustable lumbar support in the driver’s seat, and dual 12.3-inch screens for the driver cluster and touchscreen.
The GT-Line adds 20-inch wheels, heated and cooled front seats, Meridian audio, an augmented reality head-up display, remote parking, a 360-degree camera, vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, and more.
The AWD GT-Line, meanwhile, throws in a wide sunroof on top of its added power and torque.
Kia Australia boasts that the model has gone through its “rigorous” local ride and handling program, meaning that locally sold EV6s come with suspension tuning specific to our market and our roads.
“The Kia EV6 is about to make its mark on the local electric vehicle offering in Australia and has already proven itself as the new halo for the Kia brand, attracting a remarkable level of interest leading up to its arrival,” says Kia’s Chief Operating Officer Damien Meredith.
“Based on this unprecedented consumer interest, we are confident we could find an Australian home for more EV6’s than the 500 units allocated to our market in 2022.
“Like all models, we are in constant dialogue with headquarters about accessing more EV6 stock, all of which will be sold through the Kia dealer network and will arrive gradually throughout the year.”
It’s been widely reported that Australian EV6 supply is scarce, with claims that the model has a waiting period of at least two years. This stems in part from strong demand for EV supply in Europe and reduced production due to the global semi-conductor shortage.
