Kia EV6 spotted in Glenmarie, launching in Malaysia in 2H 2022 – Ioniq 5’s twin, 77.4 kWh battery; fr RM200k?

Ah, here it is, the 2022 European Car of the Year. This is the first sighting of the Kia EV6 in Malaysia, seen specifically at the BAuto Training School in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. Bermaz Auto (BAuto) has been planning for a local launch since last year, and the SUV looks on track for a Q3/Q4 debut.

It’s unclear which variant this is, or how many models BAuto would offer, but we’ll cover the line-up to give you an idea of what can be expected. First of all, it sits on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which is shared with its twin sibling the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Size-wise, the EV6 and Ioniq 5 are fairly similar, but the Kia’s wheelbase is 2,900 mm as opposed to the Hyundai’s 3,000 mm.

For powertrain, the EV6 can be had as a RWD (single motor) or AWD (dual motor), as well as two lithium-ion polymer battery packs – 58 kWh or 77.4 kWh. A maximum range of 510 km can be attained. Outputs for the smaller battery range from 125 kW (170 PS and 350 Nm) for the RWD to 173 kW (235 PS and 605 Nm) for the AWD model.

Stepping up to the long-range 77.4 kWh battery yields 168 kW (228 PS and 350 Nm) for the RWD, or 239 kW (325 PS and 605 Nm) for the AWD model. The range-topping EV6 GT is exclusively offered with the twin motors and 77.4 kWh battery, which produces a staggering 585 PS and 740 Nm of torque.

Standard for the EV6 is the 800-volt electrical arhictecture, allowing the EV6 to receive ultra-fast DC charging without the need for additional adapters or components. The 77.4 kWh battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 18 minutes, or an added 100 km of battery range in less than four and a half minutes. It also features the Ioniq 5’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which can supply 3.6 kW to power your devices, or charge another EV.

For now, it is not known how the Kia EV6 will be priced in Malaysia, but we can expect some competitive pricing seeing as how well the Ioniq 5 is doing. For your reference, the Ioniq 5 is priced from RM200k to RM277k (fully specced), and the current wait list is about a year. So, which will you get?

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