Recently Bjørn Nyland did a 1,000 km (621 miles) challenge with the EV6 rear-wheel drive (RWD) version of Kia EV6. While it is expected that the AWD version will be as fast as rear-wheel drive, it turns out to be the other way around. The vehicle completed the distance at an average temperature of 3°C, in 10 hours and 10 minutes (after some time deductions).
During the challenge, the car was charged a total of five times along the way. The average speed (including charging stops) was 98.4 km/h (61 mph). It’s a very good result, however slightly slower (by 15 minutes) than the previously tested Kia EV6 AWD. The difference is relatively small and might be associated with many factors, as the challenge test is quite complex. However, it is a bit surprising. We would expect – especially after the range test – that the RWD version would be more efficient and a bit faster than the AWD version. After all, it’s lighter.
It looks like the answer to the unexpected temperature. It was colder in the case of the RWD test (by a few degrees) and the E-GMP cars note lower fast-charging power when the battery is cold (the battery pre-heating feature has not been implemented yet). Bjørn Nyland notes that the E-GMP platform is designed to minimize the eventual losses of efficiency and range related to the addition of the front-drive unit for all-wheel drive.
Kiva EV6
Since it made its splashy debut in New York’s Times Square last May, the electric SUV has generated plenty of interest. It not only delivers a reasonable amount of range but offers striking good looks. At the low end, you can order a base Kia EV6 Light for $40,900. This gets you a modest 58.0-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with an estimated range of 232 miles. The rest of the line-up is packaged with a 77.4-kilowatt-hour pack. Moving up the spectrum, the all-wheel-drive GT-Line makes a walloping 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. But range only climbs to 274 miles.
Both the RWD and AWD GT-Line models add some welcome features including slightly grippier 20-inch wheels and tires. Disappointingly, the steering wheel heater could be preferred on cold Michigan mornings comes only on the all-wheel-drive package. With the larger battery pack, expect to keep your EV6 plugged in for at least 8 hours using a 240-volt Level 2 charger. But the Kia crossover is one of the first new battery-electric vehicles to migrate to an 800-volt internal electrical architecture. One advantage is faster charging when connected to the latest Level 3 public chargers, adding as much as 217 miles of range in as little as 18 minutes. (Review by Paul A. Eisenstein).
