- The Kia EV6 GT will go on sale in the U.S. later this year.
- It has 577 horsepower and an upgraded chassis to provide better performance than lesser versions of the EV.
- Kia claims it will get to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and that its top speed is 161 mph.
The Kia EV6 is about to gain a far more powerful variant called the GT. With 577 horsepower, all-wheel-drive, and some heady performance claims, it will sit at the top of the EV6 lineup above the Light, Wind, and GT-Line trims. This model also likely previews much of what the upcoming N version of the related Hyundai Ioniq 5 N will offer. We’ve already driven the EV6 GT in Europe, and now we have confirmation of its U.S. specs ahead of its arrival on our shores later this year.
The EV6 GT’s front and rear electric motors provide a total of 577 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque. That’s a whole lot more than the current most powerful version of the EV6, the 320-hp dual-motor version. That model already got to 60 mph in an impressive 4.5 seconds in our testing, but the GT will be quicker still, and faster on the top end. Kia claims that the EV6 GT will get to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and go on to a top speed of 161 mph.
The increased focus on power and performance hurts the EV6 GT’s range estimate, which sits at a paltry 206 miles. It has the same 77.4-kWh battery pack as other versions, but that’s 104 miles less than the longest-range version of the EV, the rear-wheel-drive Long Range model, EPA-rated at 310 miles. Even the EV6’s base model, the rear-wheel-drive version with the smaller 58.0-kWh battery pack, outpaces the GT with its 232-mile range rating.
Adaptive dampers, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, and larger front and rear brakes are standard on the GT. 21-inch wheels are wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, although Kia hasn’t specified if they’re summer tires or all-season rubber. There’s also a special set of drive modes that includes a Drift mode that directs more power to the rear wheels for powersliding antics. There are also newly available artificial sounds meant to make the EV’s soundtrack more dramatic.
Inside, the main differences include sport seats, neon-green accents, and GT logos. The front and rear ends also have a slightly different look, although the GT isn’t all that easy to distinguish from the less powerful GT-Line version that also benefits from appearance tweaks over lesser models.
Kia hasn’t yet announced pricing for the GT, but we reckon it will start at over $60,000 given that a GT-Line costs $57,695. It will arrive at U.S. dealerships in the fourth quarter of this year.
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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
