Kia’s first devoted electrical car, the 2022 EV6, impressed us enormously at launch and once more when it arrived within the CNET storage early final yr with its robust stability of efficiency, vary and, most significantly, worth. And I wasn’t the one one. The EV6 went on a veritable award tour final yr, racking up a number of automobile and SUV of the yr awards, together with the North American Utility Automobile of the 12 months. (Full disclosure, I’m a NACTOY juror.)
So, it ought to come as no shock that when selecting our subsequent long-term check car — a automobile that I might should log hundreds of miles driving over the course of the following yr — we went with the EV6. After all, on the time we spec’d our tester, the red-hot EV6 GT had solely simply been introduced and was not but obtainable, so we might should make do with lower than its 576 horsepower. Nonetheless, the extra conservative trim ranges nonetheless have loads to supply.
We went with the 2022 mannequin yr’s EV6 Wind e-AWD mannequin, partially as a result of we have already evaluated the highest trim GT-Line mannequin and partially based mostly on a hunch that that is the candy spot within the lineup. Our alternative nets us a dual-motor, all-wheel drive system with a mixed 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. Mated with Kia’s Lengthy Vary 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the EPA estimates I am going to common round 274 miles of vary per cost, which works out to three.125 miles per kilowatt-hour taking elements like battery reserve into consideration.
The Wind e-AWD spec presents the EV6’s greatest stability of efficiency, vary and options.
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Skipping the full-fat GT-Line means I’ve needed to do and not using a sunroof, bigger 20-inch wheels, color-matched GT-Line physique trim and some different bells and whistles. Thus far, the 19s have confirmed to be the marginally better option for vary and luxury, whereas the remainder of the variations are purely aesthetic. Going with the cheaper Wind e-AWD allowed us to maintain round $2,000 of our hypothetical price range in our pocket; the electrical SUV arrived with a $55,105 sticker worth together with a $1,500 Expertise bundle, the $1,295 vacation spot cost, $495 for the off-white Glacier paint and $415 price of ground mats and cargo covers.
Establishing the Kia Entry smartphone app upon supply, I gave our Kia the nickname Linka after the Jap European, wind-themed Planeteer. The app permits me to remotely monitor the EV6’s location and cost state, in addition to ship distant instructions to lock and unlock the doorways, open the hatch or activate the local weather controls. It is also a useful hub for keeping track of the EV6’s service cycles, not that it wants a lot upkeep in any respect.
Immediately, I bumped into the most important nit I’ve to select with the 2022 EV6. Not like its HMA E-GMP cousins, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60, the Kia EV6 doesn’t ship with an included dwelling charging cable. The EV does embody the automaker’s useful V2L adapter that allows you to get juice out of the battery to energy home equipment or electronics in an emergency or off-the-grid, however you are by yourself on the subject of sourcing an answer to get energy into the darn factor.
To be honest, I might advocate that any potential EV proprietor contemplate having a everlasting charging station put in anyway to streamline each day charging comfort. Nonetheless, an included 110-volt or 240-volt charging cable and brick would turn out to be useful as a transitional charging resolution throughout the first weeks of possession after which for emergency charging on the highway. New homeowners can reap the benefits of the included Kia Cost Cross, which incorporates 1,000 kW of Electrify America DC quick charging, however that is extremely depending on truly being close to a station. Happily, I reside close to fairly a number of.
Assuming you hit the EPA’s mark and reside close to a station, Kia contains round 3,000 miles of free DC quick charging with the EV6.
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Sadly, I am merely the EV6’s steward for the yr, not its precise proprietor, so I am not capable of reap the benefits of the free Kia Cost Cross charging. As an alternative, I’ve paid for each kilowatt-hour consumed out of my very own pocket. It’s kind of of a bummer, however it has allowed me to look at the price of frequent DC quick charging.
I took supply of Linka in late November 2022 and have pushed round 4,120 miles during the last seven months. Round two-thirds of these miles are round city on floor streets and b-roads, with the remainder being freeway miles in average site visitors with a number of longer highway journeys blended in, as effectively. Sadly, an uncharacteristically wet winter season has left my favourite dynamic roads closed attributable to landslides till solely very lately, so most of my testing to this point has been in Regular or Eco mode, with solely rare dipping into the Sport program. Over its lifetime, I’ve averaged effectivity round 3.3 mi./kWh, a contact higher than the EPA reckons, with particular person journeys sometimes stretching as excessive as 4.0 mi./kWh.
I virtually by no means cost the EV6 past the 80% mark — quick charging will get a lot slower and dearer for that final 20% — and by no means let it drop beneath round 20% for security. Which means I get round 150 to 160 real-world miles between costs. Electrify America costs round $0.48 per kWh and, on common, my 20% to 80% DC quick cost classes price me round $20. At across the 1,800 mile mark, I smartened up and opted into EA’s Cross Plus program. For $4 monthly, the plan reduces the per-kWh worth to $0.36, dropping my common 20-80% session to only $16 and principally paying for itself after only one cost.
I’ve additionally been capable of complement DC quick charging with the occasional slower degree 2 charging included with long-term parking on the San Francisco and Oakland airports and without cost at sure retail institutions, which is a pleasant bonus. General, I’ve spent $414.55 on charging for the yr to this point, understanding to round $0.10 per mile not together with insurance coverage prices, which have been lined by Kia all through this long-term check. (Insurance coverage prices for EVs are usually larger than combustion vehicles, which you will wish to issue into your personal calculations.)
Maybe probably the most annoying factor concerning the EV6 is that it features a V2L adapter, however no dwelling charging cable.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
Lastly, there’s the matter of upkeep, or quite, the shortage thereof. Most fashionable automobiles, EV or ICE, in all probability should not want critical upkeep inside the first couple hundred miles, however the EV6 appears to be like to be significantly straightforward to take care of for years to return, requiring solely occasional coolant and brake service each few years. The primary main scheduled upkeep occasion is not due till 24,000 miles, when the EV will want a tire rotation and inspection of its brakes, air conditioner, 12-volt battery and suspension elements. The subsequent main substitute, brake fluid, is not till 48,000 miles or about two years, whichever comes first.
After all, there’s routine upkeep that wants tending to. Thus far, I’ve solely needed to regulate tire stress because the temperature fluctuates (for security and optimum effectivity) and high off the washer fluid as wanted. With all the rain, I’ve additionally needed to often preserve the rear digicam clear. (Kia ought to actually contemplate including a washer for this, too.)
The largest takeaway at this primary milestone confirms what I already know: Quick charging is maybe greatest reserved for charging when removed from dwelling — on highway journeys or when out and about. To make the EV6 actually price efficient, I am going to have to get at-home charging sorted, ideally utilizing cheaper off-peak energy, which we’ll deal with within the subsequent replace.