Made In America With A Tesla NACS Plug, Larger Battery

• The Kia EV6 will get main updates for the 2025 mannequin 12 months.
• Along with a redesigned grille, the electrical crossover will get an even bigger battery for extra vary, a Tesla-style NACS plug, an up to date inside and over-the-air software program updates able to digital downloads. 
• The EV6 will even be constructed at Kia’s Georgia meeting plant alongside the EV9, making it qualify for at the very least some EV tax credit when bought. 

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will get plenty of well-deserved glory within the electrical car house. However personally, I am extra a fan of its cousin, the Kia EV6. A lot in order that I purchased one earlier this 12 months and am strongly contemplating buying it outright each time my lease is up. However after I take a look at the adjustments coming with the up to date 2025 Kia EV6, I could have to think about an improve.

What’s higher now about Kia’s electrical crossover? Mainly, the whole lot. The EV6 will now be constructed within the U.S. to qualify for at the very least some EV tax credit; packs extra vary because of an even bigger battery; presents a redesigned face and inside; and can come out of the gate with a newly-relocated Tesla-style North American Charging Commonplace (NACS) plug and entry to that huge community of DC fast-chargers.

There’s so much to cowl right here, so let’s dig in.

Vary And Energy

The EV6 initially debuted means again in 2021 and now sees its most substantive replace but. We have already seen its newly redesigned face—a “Star Map” grille designed to extra intently match different trendy Kia choices—as the second-generation mannequin has been on sale for a number of months in locations like Europe and its native South Korea. However the U.S.-spec model comes with extra surprises than we anticipated.

The EV6 now will get two battery choices in bigger sizes than the earlier automotive, providing extra vary. The bottom, smaller battery is now 63 kilowatt-hours in dimension, up from 58 kWh beforehand, whereas the bigger battery goes from 77.4 kWh to 84 kWh. Whereas precise vary figures for every trim stage haven’t been launched, Kia claims the Mild, Lengthy-Vary, Wind and GT-Line fashions will goal 319 miles of vary in rear-wheel-drive configuration.

Photograph by: InsideEVs

There is not any phrase but on vary for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive fashions, sadly. However we’re anticipating all vary figures to be typically much like the 2025 Ioniq 5 that makes use of the identical battery setups, so probably round 290 or extra miles of vary for the AWD variations. Both means, these ought to be first rate upgrades from the present EV6; the RWD fashions are at present listed at 310 miles of EPA-rated vary and 282 for AWD fashions (which drops to 252 and 218 miles for the GT-Line and GT variants, respectively.) Contemplating that my very own EV6 Wind AWD frequently tops 300 miles of vary on a 100% cost when the climate is honest, these could possibly be rather more persistently above that. 

Energy is roughly related throughout the board, nevertheless. The Mild RWD mannequin is rated at 167 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, whereas extra highly effective RWD fashions in Mild, Lengthy-Vary, Wind and GT-Line kinds are available in at 225 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Upgrading to AWD will get you 320 hp and 446 lb.-ft. of torque as earlier than.

However I am comfortable to say the go-fast Kia EV6 GT will get much more highly effective now, which it completely did not want, however no one’s going to say no to extra energy. The GT delivers 601 hp and 545 lb.-ft. of torque, up from 576 hp earlier than. Activate GT Mode and also you get a full 641 hp and 568 lb.-ft. of torque to adequately meet any Lamborghini-hunting wants which will come up in your neighborhood. 

Photograph by: Kia

New Design, New Tech, New Plug

I am going to readily admit I am not the largest fan of the up to date grille. However the EV6 nonetheless seems as sharp as ever, and it presents greater than only a new face right here. The taillights additionally add Star Map particulars, whereas the entrance and rear bumper have new designs with sharper angles and a extra aggressive total stance. Kia’s additionally providing new designs for its 19- to 21-inch wheels. 

Photograph by: InsideEVs

The within is fairly acquainted however with a number of notable tweaks. The steering wheel has been completely redesigned, and the EV6 lastly will get the absolutely up to date Linked Automotive Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) working system that provides faster speeds, higher-definiton graphics, and over-the-air (OTA) updates—one thing the present EV6 has solely executed with navigation and a handful of different core options. Mainly, the software program setup on the EV6 now mirrors that of the EV9, which will get excessive marks from us. And just like the EV9, you now get entry to the new Kia Join Retailer for downloads like shows themed after your favourite NBA groups. (Sure, actually.) The Digital Key setup has been improved to supply true smartphone-activated door unlocking, distant beginning and driving.

And eventually, the flush door handles now pop open routinely throughout all trim ranges. That fixes one in all my largest gripes in regards to the present EV6 and should justify an improve on that alone. 

Kia’s sadly not telling us a lot in regards to the EV6’s legendary fast-charging. The automotive can go from a ten% cost to 80% in nearly 18 minutes on a 350-kilowatt DC fast-charger, and we do not count on that to alter. Nonetheless, just like the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and up to date Genesis Electrified GV70 that additionally debuted on the LA Auto Present this week, the revised EV6 packs a NACS plug from the manufacturing unit now. And it has been moved to the opposite aspect of the automotive—the driving force’s aspect as an alternative of the passenger’s—to make charging at Tesla’s Supercharger stations slightly simpler. 

What Now?

Photograph by: Kia

And better of all, the revised EV6 is now American-made, similar to the 2025 Ioniq 5. This one is made at Kia’s West Level, Georgia meeting plant alongside the EV9, so it ought to qualify for at the very least among the $7,500 EV tax credit when bought. These might quickly vanish, so make the most of them when you can. (The EV6 GT will proceed to be in-built Korea.) 

Kia says that just like the outgoing automotive, the 2025 EV6 will probably be obtainable in Mild (RWD solely), Mild Lengthy Vary (RWD or AWD), Wind (RWD or AWD), GT-Line (RWD or AWD), and GT (AWD) trims. The automaker says it is anticipated to go on sale within the first half of subsequent 12 months. Pricing and different specs will probably be introduced at a later date.

All in all, the 2025 mannequin 12 months represents a giant improve for one of many best-equipped, best-looking and best-performing EVs in its class. Anticipate extra on this as we get it. 

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