Kia EV6 confirmed for Malaysia, target launch Q3 / Q4 2022

• Kia EV6 to launch in Malaysia in Q3 / Q4 2022
• Supports 800V ultra-fast DC charging, with V2L
• Likely to be offered in two variants 

Bermaz Auto, the parent of Kia distributor in Malaysia, Dinamikjaya Motors has confirmed that it will be launching the fully electric, dedicated E-GMP platform Kia EV6 in Malaysia in 2022.

In a recent meeting with its shareholders and partner banks, Bermaz Auto said Dinamikjaya will be launching the Kia EV6 sometime around Q3 or Q4 2022.

Sources familiar with the matter say the company is looking to introduce both long-range and standard-range variants of the Kia EV6, but both will be launched in Malaysia with all the available options ticked.

Globally, the Kia EV6 is available in two battery options. The standard-range variant has a 58 kWh battery that gives up to 394 km while the long-range variant has a 77.4 kWh battery that delivers up to 528 km.

Both variants are available with rear- or all-wheel drive, the latter with multiple power output levels, and of course a corresponding reduction in driving range.

Apart from the variants listed above, Korea gets an additional 58 kWh all-wheel drive 235 PS variant.

The Kia EV6 is built on a dedicated E-GMP platform that also underpins Kia’s sister company Hyundai’s Ioniq 5.

Although it doesn’t look like one, but the Kia EV6 is technically a D-segment SUV. It has a 2,900 mm wheelbase, 4,695 mm length, and 1,890 mm width – that’s about the footprint of a Kia Sorento.

Its rather low 1,545 mm height hides its mass but it’s still taller than most D-segment sedans.

The key highlight of the Kia EV6 is its support for both regular 400V and 800V charging, meaning that it can accept up to 350 kW ultra-fast DC charging without the weight penalty of requiring thicker, heavier cabling.

This allows the Kia EV6 to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, or gain 100 km of driving range in just 4.5 minutes (77.4 kWh, rear-wheel drive variant).

Charging with a regular 11 kW wallbox AC charger will take about 7 hours (for 77.4 kWh variant).

The EV6 can also work as a giant power bank. The car’s V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) feature can send up to 3.6 kW of power to any electrical device – that’s good enough to power a 55-inch TV and an air-conditioner simultaneously for more than 24 hours.

The Heads-Up Display (HUD) features augmented reality (AR), projecting turn-by-turn instructions by overlaying the graphics over the driver’s view.

A 14-speaker Meridian surround audio system is also available.

Given that the EV6 is Kia’s technological flagship, the full suite of driving assistance (ADAS) features is a given.

Instead of regular blind spot monitors, the EV6 uses Blind-Spot View Monitor (BVM), a bit like Honda’s LaneWatch cameras except that this works on both sides of the car, and the video is shown on the instrument panel rather than on the infotainment screen.

The Kia EV6 was recently crowned Germany’s Premium Car of the Year, besting models from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.

Prices for the Kia EV6 starts at GBP 40,245 (~RM 225k). Fully loaded with all the options, as Dinamikjaya will most likely do, prices will balloon to GBP 51,245 (~RM 287k).