Last month’s EV of the month, the Nissan Leaf, was European car of the year back in 2011. This month we will have a closer look at the electric car that won the title this year, more than a decade later: the European car of the year 2022 is the Kia EV6. Reason enough to make it our EV of the month.
The Kia EV6 with its sibling Hyundai Ioniq 5 really have been the most anticipated newcomers in the class of mid-range EVs. While the latter has a retro-futuristic design, the Kia is more futuristic and performant-looking. The EV6 can be equipped with 58 or 77 kWh battery and comes in 2WD and AWD versions.
Charging, range, and efficiency
One of the key features of EV6 is the ultra-fast charging thanks to its 800V system. From 10% to 80% it is supposed to take only up to 18 minutes if you are lucky enough to find such a super powerful (250kW) charger somewhere.
As the range of the rear-wheel-drive bigger battery version according to EPA standard is 499 km, even a bit slower charging might not be a problem for most to cover most driving needs. Bjoern Nyland tested the rear-wheel-drive version in cold climate (around 2-5 degrees) and achieved at 90 km/h average speed a range of 445 km for the Kia EV6. At 120 km/h the tested range decreased to 298 km.
Driving and comfort
One of the first things that one notices when stepping into the car are two big, curved displays, one for the instrument panel and the other for the infotainment system. During our test drive it seemed that it was a nice and functional set-up. During changing the lane/switching indicators a-side camera picture is shown to dover the dead-angle.
During our test drive, the car felt quiet, seating and driving felt comfortable. It appears spacious from the inside, and there is enough room for all the passengers, front and rear. One of the nicer comfort features is that the rear seatbacks can be reclined for longer trips. For transporting bulky items seatbacks also fold down completely.
One of the unique features of the EV6 is the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function (allowing for powering your laptop charger or even tools from your EV). This would appear to be an obvious function for an EV, but nevertheless, Kia and Hyunday are now the first brands that made it actually happen. Under the rear seat is a plug for 230 V and a charging port adapter enables plugging devices with up to 3.6 kW to charge your electric bike, use electricity at camp site, or when you need to plug in your electric tool in an unexpected location.
Overall the EV6 is a good choice for a spacious, modern yet comfortable family car, which should be well-suited for any upcoming summer holiday trips. In form, equipment, and price it is a nice alternative to a Tesla Model Y, a Skoda Enyaq or the VW ID4.
EV6 video reviews
Here are some of our favorite video reviews for the Kia EV6.
Bjørn Nyland driving impressions:
Fully Charged on the Kia EV 6
Munro Live on the Kia EV6
