2023 Kia EV6 GT, power increased to 576 hp.
Kia Motors has unveiled its 2023 EV6 GT against the backdrop of the 2022 Monterey Car Week. The car is from a brand not usually associated with the annual car festival in California, but it is faster than many of the latest performance cars on display.
The EV6 GT, unveiled Friday at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, is the performance flagship of the EV6 electric crossover, now available for the 2022 model year. the EV6 is already a quick car, but the new EV6 GT dialed up to supercar-level performance.
The EV6 GT features a dual-motor all-wheel drive system that produces 576 hp peak power and 546 lb-ft of torque, the highest of any Kia product. As a result, it accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 161 mph. To prove the car's performance, the third-party AMCI pitted it against the Ferrari Roma and Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD Spyder at the drag strip. Curiously, none of the times were published.
However, the EV6 GT is not just about straight-line performance. In addition to a sport-tuned suspension with adjustable dampers, the EV6 GT is also equipped with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to ensure traction when cornering. Powerful stopping power, essential for a performance car, is provided by brakes with monoblock calipers biting 15.0-inch front and 14.2-inch rear rotors. These are housed on 21-inch wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.
The EV6 GT also offers additional drive modes not found on other EV6s: GT Drive mode, My Drive mode, and Drift mode. Drift mode allows the driver to distribute more power to the rear wheels and drive the vehicle sideways in a controlled manner. Kia has also added two additional sounds unique to the EV6 GT.
Inside, bucket seats with "GT" lettering and green piping are standard.
Underpinning the EV6 series is Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP modular EV platform, which features an 800-volt electrical system that allows for high rapid charging rates. According to Kia, using a 350kw charger, a 10%-80% charge takes only 18 minutes.
The EV6 GT's battery is 77.4 kwh, and while no range estimates have been made, the regular EV6 (all-wheel drive) battery is rated at 274 miles by the EPA.
The EV6 GT will be available in Q4 2022. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but Kia has confirmed that buyers will receive a 1,000 kwh charging credit that can be used at Electrify America stations within three years.
