A Kia EV6 has been spotted charging between Sydney and Canberra, drawing compliments – and some criticism – for its sleek and futuristic looks.
The EV6 will be Kia’s second all-electric vehicle in Australia and is priced from $67,800 before on roads. Having officially debuted at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne in January, it will likely be in high demand as just 500 units have been secured by the South Korean carmaker for Australia in 2022.
Nevertheless, its arrival has been driving a wedge between drivers waiting for the Tesla Model Y and those who haven’t yet been able to nab a Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Images of the EV6 charging at the Chargefox charger in Goulburn were shared to Twitter by Sydneysider Robin Mellon on Wednesday morning, who called the car “stunning!”
Look what I found charging next to me on the @Chargefox #EV chargers at #Goulburn yesterday, @BridieEV and @sydney_ev – the new @kiaaustralia #EV6 is stunning! pic.twitter.com/xtYapXFbU5
— Robin Mellon (@BetterSydney) February 15, 2022
Others chipped in: “The looks are beginning to grow on me,” one said.
But others were not so impressed. “It looks like the rear lights are missing. Not sure about that design choice. Like when car models have panel blanks that you know will be changed with lights during the mid-life facelift,” said Twitterer Tibor Csabo.
Mellon however was suitably seduced, sharing an image of the interior, which features a wide dash screen not dissimilar to that of Ioniq 5 but with a more traditional bent.
“The dash looks too busy for me personally after driving Tesla Model 3 for so long,” said Rahul Prasad.
While some may prefer the minimalist dash of the Tesla, others are seriously considering the EV6 as an alternative to the Model Y, which was expected to arrive in Australia in 2021 but is still not available for order.
Others may be after its vehicle-to-load capabilities, which are enabled by the e-GMP platform the EV6 shares with the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
For a breakdown on whether to wait for the Tesla Model Y or dive in with the Kia EV6, you can read Bryce Gaton’s article here.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.