Yes, you read the title right. The 2022 Kia EV6 has drift mode. A video posted by the brand on YouTube highlights the development process for its first dedicated battery-electric vehicle. The part that stands out was giving the car the performance credentials to back up its attractive looks. This also shows that Kia has pivoted toward a sportier direction and that move will start becoming more apparent in its EVs.
The engineering team that worked on the car intended to bring the Stinger’s fun-to-drive ethos into a high-performance EV. As a result, Kia has added drift mode to the EV6 and it’s not just on the 576-hp GT model that has it. Think of the EV6 as the continuation of what the Stinger started, only this time it’s electric. Albert Biermann, Hyundai Motor Group’s head of R & D, revealed that the EV6 was a team effort and that the EV6 GT was the extra challenge or icing on the cake for the team.
When it goes on sale next year, the 2022 Kia EV6 will be available with either a 58- or 77.4-kWh battery and in single- or dual-motor configurations. Long-range single-motor variants should have the most range and could be the one that hits the magical 300-mile mark per charge. Underpinning the EV6 is Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP architecture, which is dedicated specifically to electric vehicles. It also features 400-volt and 800-volt charging capability, enabling cars underpinned by it to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes using a level 3 DC charger.
The 576-hp, dual-motor EV6 GT should be the most potent performer and will be able to sprint to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 3.5 seconds before topping out at 161 mph. It’s also the only model in the lineup with an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential to further improve handling and power delivery. However, that performance will come at the cost of range because the EV6 GT will likely be able to travel around 230 miles per charge.
