Nova Scotia Buzz
So, it finally happened.
After years and years of potential buyers considering buying an electric vehicle (EV), and then going back and forth between whether it’s worth it or not, the verdict on the merit of the electric car seems to finally be in.
Now, that verdict is one that likely has been swayed by current events (inflation, Russia’s war in Ukraine, COVID-19) rather than public opinion.
You see, after some initial (but predictable) market hesitation when the first EVs came out such as the original Nissan LEAF and the Mitsubishi i-Miev, the electric car was on a slow but steady track to becoming mainstream. People were wary of its relatively short driving range, painfully slow charging, lifetime of the battery, lack of body styles and steep initial cost. Not to mention the argument made here locally in NS that since we use coal to power electricity, driving an EV would not appear to do much to help the environment, but some even argued they would be worse for the environment.
Then Elon Musk spawned the Tesla brand to show that EV’s can be any body style with a range that relieves anxiety and actually increases performance (let’s be honest, this venture was also likely done to stroke Musk’s ego).
Suddenly the EV argument was revived. Charging stations would become more plentiful. Charging times sunk like a stone. You could now get all-wheel drive Teslas, SUV’s and even pick up trucks (see Ford’s F-150 Lightning and Chevy’s upcoming all-electric Silverado).
But perhaps one of the most impressive and mainstream EV right now is the 2022 KIA EV6. And when I say impressive, I mean impressive.
That immediately is obvious by the futuristic yet wholly styling design. The classic “tiger nose” grille lets you know it is a KIA, however were you to view it from any other angle, you may be a bit stumped. There’s nothing that looks like it on the road today, and yet, it’s still extremely practical and family friendly. Technically, this is a 5-door hatchback with enough room to haul a family of four or even a bunch of supplies from Home Depot.
Inside, the futuristic theme continues. Volvo could be credited with introducing the first “floating” centre stack in the now long gone C30, but KIA might be credited with created the first “floating” console that houses the start/stop button as well as the electric gear switch. It’s hard to capture in pictures, but it does not actually connect to the centre console. Is it a bit gimmicky? Probably. But I still like it when designers go out of their way to do something that is out of the ordinary.
Inside there is a decent amount of room, and as mentioned, the hatch adds extra versatility. It actually sits on a longer wheelbase that KIA’s largest offering, the full-size SUV called Telluride.
So, let’s talk power. Depending on the trim level you get, it varies. My top-of-the-line tester produces a more-than-healthy 320 horsepower and 440-pound foot torque. Those are impressive numbers.
And it’s quick. I mean instant power and torque quick. A V8 Mustang can run from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 second. Well, so can the EV6. Exactly the same time.
One-pedal driving is certainly possible as the EV6 has five different modes. You can 100% get the EV6 to come to a complete stop without using the brakes. If you’ve never experienced one-pedal driving before, it may seem off-putting at first, but believe me, you get used to it quite easily. And for those wondering if it is at all safe to come to a complete stop without using the brakes, the brake lights come on as you take your foot off the throttle. This is where you gain the most out of regenerative braking.
While you can charge any EV in a regular outlet, charging times will take a long time. As in it would take 80 hours of charging to get the EV6 to 80% battery through a household 120V outlet.
If you’re going to purchase an EV, it’s best to include the cost of a level 2 charger into your budget. Those cost anywhere within the $2K-$3K range, but it will mean you can charge your EV overnight to full battery in about seven hours.
If you go to a level 3 charger (which is what is found at IKEA and other public charging stations) charge time drops to about 18-20 minutes.
But I have to say, this is the strongest argument for EVs that I have driven so far. Stylish, comfortable, powerful, versatile and no gas!
Faults? Well, there’s a couple. The EV6 has exterior door handles that stay flush with the body of the car until you unlock the doors. Jaguar has used a similar set up in the past, but KIA’s efforts fall well short of Jag’s efforts. All too often the door handles wouldn’t respond to the keyless entry (prompting you to get your fob off your person to unlock). On top of that, the handles felt rather cheap, like you could easily just rip them off with one try if you really wanted to.
The other downside? Argh, it’s still the pricing. $65K will get you into my fully loaded tester. But don’t think you’ll save much by going with lower trims, the base model is with the 320-horsepower engine is $61K. However, you can always go for less power and niceties at a starting price of around $50K
Regardless, this is a game changer within the EV industry. It is, hands down, one of the best EV’s I’ve ever driven, and I’ve driven a Tesla Model 3 and Model S before.
High praise indeed.
