[Auto] Kia EV6, an appetizer of the manufacturer's first 100% electric car

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It is the first in a series of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that the brand plans to launch in the next five years.

For Kia, 2021 will be a key year, as it will not only present products based on its new values and corporate image, but also because it will officially begin its electric offensive. The first of these seven models that they intend to put on the streets before 2027 is the EV6, the first 100% electric and battery-powered electric vehicle that they manufacture, which will be the standard of a family of electric cars with which the Korean brand intends to consolidate itself in the future.

The EV6 is an ambiguous car in its design conceptualization. It's bigger than a hatchback and much more urban than a crossover, just like Hyundai's Ioniq 5 from which it is derived. In fact, both models will use the group's new Global Electric Modular Platform (E-GMP), which will support all the electric models produced by the Korean conglomerate.

Style
The EV6 was conceived under the brand's new design philosophy: "Opposites United", which is inspired by contrasts of nature and humanity. At the center of the design philosophy lies a new visual identity that evokes positive forces and natural energy, which combines and contrasts with sharp stylistic elements and sculptural forms.

"The EV6, as Kia's first dedicated electric vehicle, is a demonstration of progressive, human-centered design as well as electrified propulsion. We strongly believe that the EV6 is an attractive and relevant model for the new electric vehicle market. "says Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Director of the Center for Global Design. "With the EV6 we aim to create a distinctive and striking design through a combination of high-tech and sophisticated features, in pure and rich volumes, while providing a unique space and a futuristic EV."

Opposites united, in detail
The "Opposites United" design philosophy begins with the EV6 and will serve as the basis for the styling of future Kia models. The brand explains it with the following concepts:

• Boldness by Nature: It is based on interaction with nature and is inspired by the details, shapes and proportions of the natural and human world. For vehicle interiors, this design pillar creates organic structures and finishes, but with technical support. The exterior designs are characterized by a combination of clean and simple lines, with bold and ever-changing surfaces.
• Joy from Reason - Focuses on the feel and atmosphere of future Kia vehicles. Those designs will fuse the emotional with the rational, creating vehicles that consider the mood of the passengers, relaxing them and inspiring them. It will also influence the adoption of new organic materials and bolder colors, which express a youthful and playful feeling.
• Power of progress: builds on the strengths of the brand's current design. Building on and developing the skills and knowledge acquired throughout Kia's recent transformational era, led by the design, style and configuration of the brand's future products will continue to evolve, drawing on the experience and creativity to conceive and innovate new designs.
• Technology for Life: Tackles new technologies and innovations to foster positive interactions between humans and machines. Future brand vehicles will embrace a next-generation user experience (UX) through design, innovation, advancements in lighting, feel and connectivity, helping customers engage with their car.
• Tension for serenity: evokes that tension generated by opposing forces, creative contrasts and confirms the balance of design that arises from two opposing impulses. It offers eye-catching design concepts that use sharp, highly technical details to create surface tension and bring a harmonious, future-oriented design vision to life.

"We want our products to offer an instinctive and natural experience to improve the daily lives of our customers. Our goal is to design the physical experience of our brand and offer original, innovative and exciting electric vehicles. The ideas of our designers and the purpose of the brand are more connected than ever. Our customers are at the center of what we do and influence every decision we make, "adds Karim Habib.

Outside
At the front, the distinctive daytime running lights show a sleek and modern look. They are part of the car's "Digital Tiger Face", a design evolution that evokes the spirit of Kia's "Tiger Nose" for the electrified age. The design of the headlamps also includes a "sequential" dynamic light pattern. In the lower area, a low air intake visually enlarges the front of the vehicle. The flat floor, meanwhile, helps channel air for optimal aerodynamics.

In profile, the EV6 displays a modern, sleek and aerodynamic aesthetic. This contrasts with the sharp lines and high-tech details to create a sense of tension in the design. A straight-lined windshield provides dynamism and purpose, while the rear extensions add volume. A character line runs along the bottom of the doors curving towards the rear wheel arches, visually lengthening the overall design.

The rear shows a sloping rear pillar and with an integrated glossy black insert, which visually widens the window glass. On the roof is a spoiler that channels the air into a raised lower diffuser, located above the car's unique rear light cluster.

The EV6 was designed between the three studios of Kia's global design network in Namyang (Korea), Frankfort (Germany) and Irvine (California, USA). It has some influences from the Futuron Concept, a model that anticipated the brand's new logo.

Indoors
What stands out most about the interior is its sense of habitability. Of course, we will also find a huge high definition curved screen for audio and navigation (AVN) that generates a very immersive experience. There are few buttons, just the right ones, which are rather tactile "pushbuttons" and which are to control the air conditioning.

The seats are thin, light and fresh in design, lined with modern, visually interesting and robust fabrics, created from recycled plastics, which create more spaciousness in the cabin.

The EV6 will debut worldwide this month. It will surely have a technical sheet similar to that of the Ioniq, with rear-wheel drive or AWD, a battery with 800v support and a range of more than 480 kilometers in its highest versions.