NEXT yr guarantees to be a landmark for Kia Australia and the beginning of a brand new period of electrification.
The Korean model, which is monitoring to complete this yr because the fifth best-selling car-maker within the nation, will provide a brand new flagship mannequin – the EV6, its first devoted electrical automotive – by just about its whole vendor community from the primary quarter of 2022.
Having already damaged Kia Australia’s information for expressions of curiosity – half of which have come from folks new to the model – the EV6 has simply completed being put by the method of Australian tuning for experience and dealing with.
A sharply styled, spacious crossover primarily based on Hyundai-Kia’s all-new Electrical-International Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV6 is the primary of 11 new battery electrical automobiles (BEV) Kia will launch by 2026, seven of which will probably be constructed on the E-GMP structure and 4 to be variants of present fashions.
Talking at a latest media preview for the EV6, Kia Australia common supervisor of product Roland Rivero described the brand new mannequin as “essentially the most trendy, luxurious, and superior product that the corporate has bought in Australia, replete with suspension tuning particular to our market”.
Suffice to say, this cousin to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a halo product that can spearhead the model’s transition to a brand new period of electrification.
Kia Australia common supervisor of promoting Dean Norbiato advised GoAuto that greater than 16,000 pre-launch expressions of curiosity had been obtained for the EV6, exceeding all earlier Kia fashions equally shared between present and new prospects.
Nevertheless, the preliminary allocation of automobiles for the Australian market is barely 500 items, deliveries of which will probably be staggered all year long.
In contrast to Hyundai’s online-only ordering for the Ioniq 5, Kia Australia has instituted a coverage to distribute inventory to sellers “in a good and equitable method” and is “in steady dialogue with head workplace” about rising native allocations.
Kia Australia made the choice to distribute the EV6 all through its whole vendor community, the place it’ll occupy the identical flooring house as the remainder of the merchandise within the model’s line-up.
Additionally setting the EV6 aside from the Ioniq 5 is the Australian market suspension tuning.
Kia’s native product staff and its experience and dealing with engineer, Graeme Gambold – who has localised the suspension tuning of greater than 50 Kia fashions over the past 10 years – together with their counterparts in Namyang, Korea, labored collectively by pandemic constraints to successfully customise the EV6 to greatest swimsuit Australian roads and driving kinds.
Mr Gambold advised GoAuto that flat and large battery packaging integral to the E-GMP underpinnings imply the EV6 has a low centre of gravity roll dynamic in contrast with inside combustion vehicles, which facilitates gentle, nimble and responsive dealing with.
Nevertheless, when tuning for big physique actions on nation roads at 100km/h in Australia, an EV displays numerous vertical motion because of its excessive kerb weight (the EV6 weighs about two tonnes).
Subsequently, Mr Gambold and his colleagues labored carefully with ZF Sachs, which provides the EV6’s shock absorbers that incorporate Sensitivity Damping Management (SDC) expertise, to regulate the suspension’s anti-squat and anti-dive geometry and make sure the experience stays strong and sporty at decrease frequency inputs and a easy and cozy drive at increased frequencies.
Having examined automobiles outfitted with Korean- and European-market experience tuning, the staff settled on a bespoke setting that balanced consolation and sportiness.
“Though it could dwell 60 to 70 per cent of its life in city centres, the EV6 would positively be required to traverse tough nation roads when homeowners undertake weekend journeys and have prolonged getaways,” mentioned Mr Rivero.
For that reason, it was vital that the brand new mannequin had undergone Kia Australia’s rigorous experience and dealing with program in regional Victoria.
Greater than 90 per cent of the Kia vendor community is presently set as much as promote and repair the EV6 and the corporate intends to have that proportion as much as 100 per cent as quickly as attainable.
The EV6, which can compete with merchandise such because the Ioniq 5, Genesis GV60 and Tesla Mannequin Y, will probably be launched in Australia with a 77.4kWh battery pack and in base and GT-Line grades (the latter will probably be obtainable in rear- or all-wheel drive guises).
The 168kW RWD variations are mentioned to have an optimum vary of 527km, whereas the AWD spinoff produces a peak output of 239kW (courtesy of being outfitted with an extra motor on the entrance), has a said vary of 505km and is claimed to speed up from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds.
When the high-performance efficiency GT model follows in late 2022 or early 2023, it’ll mark the native debut of the Kia’s strongest and fastest-accelerating mannequin, utilising a quartet of electrical motors (additionally mixed with the 77.4kWh battery) to provide 430kW and 740Nm.
It’s claimed to have a zero to 100 km/h time of solely 3.5 seconds.
Additional particulars on native specs for the EV6 will probably be introduced in January throughout the Australian Open, of which the Kia model has been a serious companion for the previous 20 years.
The official launch of Kia’s EV6 base and GT-Line derivatives scheduled for later in quarter one.
“The EV6 will attraction to a variety of patrons and can convey new prospects to the model,” mentioned Mr Rivero.
“Within the subsequent twelve months, with the approaching arrival of the EV6, Sorento Hybrid, next-generation Niro and later, the efficiency EV6 GT variant, Kia will effectively and really be making its mark on the electrical automobile providing obtainable in Australia.”
As for which sorts of devoted battery-electric EV-series fashions would come to Australia after the EV6, Mr Rivero mentioned that medium and lightweight SUVs had been on the high of Kia Australia’s want record, as a result of they might “convey the EV expertise to a a lot wider vary of patrons”.
