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The Kia EV6 will land in Australia with a new cheaper variant when it touches down next month.
The new Air trim joins the GT-Line in the two-trim Australian launch line-up, and is designed to give Kia a more affordable entry point to its all-electric EV6 family.
More affordable is relative, of course. The EV6 is no Picanto, and the Air will set you back north of $65k to park one in your driveway.
That is, of course, if you can get one. Kia has just 500 vehicles currently confirmed for Australia - though that could stretch to 600 - with the EV6 having already attracted some 25,000 registrations of interest – which, by the way, is three times the level of interest generated by the Stinger.
"We're introducing the entry to the EV6 range, the EV6 Air," says Kia's product planning chief, Roland Rivero.
"It's part of a global naming strategy...for variants that sit below a GT-Line to take on the name of the elements of nature.
"The key role of the EV6 Air is not only to offer a well-specified entry to the EV6 lineup, but also to offer the maximum electric range, at 528km."
2022 KIA EV6 Australian pricing:
| Variant | Price |
| AIR RWD | $67,990 |
| EV6 GT-LINE RWD | $74,990 |
| EV6 GT-LINE AWD | $82,990 |
For reference, the mechanically related Hyundai Ioniq 5 is available in two-wheel drive guise for $71,900, and all-wheel drive from $75,900.
Those are all big numbers. So what do you get for your investment?
The Air kicks off proceedings, and arrives with an 800-volt architecture and a 77.4kWh "Long Range" battery, which Kia says will deliver a 528km driving range between charges. It's powered by a single electric motor at the rear axle, good for 168kW, 350Nm and a 7.3-second dash to 100km/h. Plugging into a 350kW fast charger will see the batteries go 10-80 per cent charged in 18 minutes.
In terms of goodies, it rides on 19-inch alloys, gets LED headlights and taillights, flush-fitting door handles and power folding mirrors.
In the cabin, expect a dial gear selector and paddle shifters, part vegan leather seats, LED interior lighting and a clever V2L power point that helps keep devices topped up. On-board tech is handled by twin 12.3-inch curved displays, and there's dual-zone climate, on-board navigation, wireless phone charging and USB charging.
On the safety front, you'll get AEB with junction turning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot detection, lane keep assist an lane follow assist, smart cruise with stop and go and a centre airbag – all part of Kia's push for a five-star ANCAP rating, with the brand to adopt the scores of crash tests carried out in Europe.
Stepping up to the EV6 GT-LINE RWD and you'll find the same 77.4kWh "Long Range" battery, along with a rear-mounted electric motor delivering the 168kW and 350Nm as the AIR. The GT-LINE AWD adds a second electric motor, upping the power to a total 239kW and 605Nm, and trimming your sprint to 100km/h to a sharp 5.2 seconds. The range does drop though, to 504km and 484km respectively.
Your rims are also bigger, not 20-inch specials, and you get the GT-Line body kit and an external V2L power point. The seats are trimmed in suede and vegan leather, there's a stainless steel luggage sill and Active Sound Design that allows you to dial up or down the driving soundtrack.
The cabin tech is upgraded, too, with an augmented reality Head-Up Display, a 14-speaker Meridian sound system, a smart tailgate, a more advanced version of Kia's Remote Smart Park Assist (which transforms your EV6 into a remote-control car to help navigate tight parking spots), a heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats - which also have a zero-gravity relaxation mode for when you're recharging.
On the safety front, you add a blind-spot view monitor, power child lock and 3D Surround View Camera to the EV6's pretty comprehensive list.
"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when EVs will dominate the landscape," says Kia's Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith. "The next five years will be very exciting."
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