Kia EV6 range, battery & charging
The EV6 has impressive range figures – and comes impressively close to matching them in real-world driving, too
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Range RWD | 328 miles | 12hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 233kW) |
| Long Range AWD | 314 miles | 12hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 233kW) |
| Long Range GT | 263 miles | 12hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 18mins (10-80%, 233kW) |
In common with other electric Kias to date, the EV6 is very efficient, coming close to its claimed numbers in real-world driving and never over or under-promising how many miles you can cover on its dashboard display. Maximising your range means making the most of the regenerative braking, which is among the most effective of any electric car we've tried. The strongest 'i-pedal' setting is sufficient for genuine one-pedal driving around town, and you can activate this mode momentarily at any time just by holding one of the steering-column paddles.
Kia EV6 range
In the UK, the only battery option for the EV6 is 77kWh, with the smaller 58kWh unit offered in some other markets not available here. That capacity gives an official range of 314 miles from the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version, but choosing the two-wheel-drive version with the same battery doesn't actually get you that much more range – its official figure stands at 328 miles.
When we drove the latter on a mixture of open country roads, fast motorways and slow urban traffic, using both Sport and Normal modes, but not Eco, the car returned efficiency of 4.2 miles per kWh, which works out at a real-world range of 325 miles – just three short of the official number.
The key thing to note, however, is that the all-wheel-drive version of the EV6 is almost £10,000 more expensive than the rear-drive car and, as you'll read in the driving and performance section of the review, doesn't really justify that chunky premium with a better driving experience. So you're actually better off with the rear-drive version, which is both cheaper and offers a slightly longer range.
Charge time
As the first of a new generation of Kia electric cars, the EV6 benefits from 800-volt electrical architecture, which gives it an ultra-rapid charging rate of 233kW. Find a charging point that provides electricity that fast and you can top up from 10 to 80% capacity in less than 20 minutes – or to put it another way, add over 60 miles of range in five minutes.
Replenishing overnight from a home wallbox will take just under seven-and-a-half hours if you have the three-phase electrics needed to support an 11kW charger; otherwise, a conventional 7.4kW wallbox will take 12-and-a-half hours to do the same job.
