Last night, Kia’s all-new 2022 EV6 fully-electric vehicle made its world debut in New York City’s Times Square. It’s the first step in Kia’s plan to deliver 11 all-new electric vehicles worldwide by 2026.  

Kia is no stranger to fully-electric vehicles, but prior to this point, they’ve been built on existing Kia products (Soul, Niro). The EV6 rides on a dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform shared with Hyundai. It brings with it, 800V DC fast-charging, which can add more than 200-miles of range in under 18-minutes; 70-miles in just 5-minutes. A 77.4-kWh battery is expected to deliver a 300-mile range; while standard, will be a 58-kWh battery with range closer to 200-miles.

Encapsulating a coupe-like profile, flush door handles, and unique LED lighting, the EV6 is as trendy as it is sporty. And of course it features an updated take on Kia’s tiger nose design theme.   

A dedicated EV platform allows for maximized interior space. So, having the footprint of a typical midsize SUV, its wheelbase is more akin to the larger Kia Telluride, which means lots of room inside for both people and cargo. Helping the rear seat legroom cause even further, are front seats constructed of slim and ultra-light “giga-steel”. Recycled plastic is used throughout the interior, and all surfaces are fully vegan.  

Standard, is a 160-kW rear-mounted motor with 167-horsepower. With the extended range battery, horsepower jumps to 218. A 70-kW motor can be added to the front axle providing all-wheel-drive, and boosting total output to 313-horsepower. And finally, an EV6 GT moves the 160-kW unit up front, and adds a 270-kW motor for the rear wheels, to deliver 576-horsepower and 3.5-second 0-60s.  

Kia claims this is the world’s first mass-produced vehicle with an integrated drive axle design, incorporating wheel bearings with the drive shaft to save weight, as well as enhance ride comfort and handling abilities; which will also be aided by a fully-independent 5-link rear suspension.  

Like many other manufacturers, Kia is promoting the fact that all EVs are essentially mobile power stations, with the ability to deliver 1,900 watts of electricity to keep all of your electronics charged, power tools at the jobsite, and even supply back-up power to your home in emergency situations.  

More than 20 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are standard, with semi-autonomous driving at the new HDA2 level. And even if you’re not doing the driving, a 3D Augmented Reality Head-Up Display gives you plenty of information while keeping your eyes on the road.  

This “Digital Tiger” will begin arriving in dealerships early next year.  No word yet on pricing, but prospective buyers can begin putting down deposits on June 3rd, for a special EV6 First Edition limited to just 1,500 units.  Early adopters, this is your cue.