EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated EV, showing innovation in various areas. The innovativeness of the EV6 is evident in its attractive design, long driving range, ultra‒fast battery charging based on the 800V charging system, and the usability of V2L. The charm of the EV6 does not end here. It provides an unprecedented driving experience that transcends the boundaries between internal combustion engines and electric vehicles. In particular, the high‒performance version of the EV6 GT provides excitement beyond the current sports car.
The most prominent feature of the EV6 GT is that it houses a 430kW‒class dual motor to deliver powerful performance. In addition, it provides a dynamic and emotional driving experience in chassis, driving mode, and design. Here are the unique features of the EV6 GT, a high‒performance electric vehicle that offers a new level of driving experience in various areas.
The essence of the EV6 GT lies in its high‒performance motor. It is the result of greatly enhancing the performance of the front and rear drive motors by adding several new technologies while being based on the EV dedicated platform E‒GMP like other EV6. Accordingly, the maximum system output and maximum torque of 239kW and 605Nm, respectively, based on long‒range 4WD, has been increased to 430kW (585 horsepower) and 740Nm for the EV6 GT. As a result, the EV6 GT boasts performance exceeding that of a sports car with an internal combustion engine, such as acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 260 km/h.
The secret of EV6 GT’s excellent motor performance is the improvement of the motor’s rotational speed. Compared to the current EV6’s driving motor speed of up to 15,000rpm, the EV6 GT’s motor speed reaches 21,000rpm. In addition to this high‒speed design, the driving motor of the EV6 GT uses a high‒power inverter through a 2‒stage motor system topology, a reinforced internal cooling structure to cope with high speed and high performance, and a hairpin winding method that reduces the gap between coils. Therefore, this model exhibits the highest output and torque level in EVs.
Another key to the EV6 GT’s motors’ high performance is improved battery output. The battery capacity is the same as the 77.4kWh of the current EV6, but the output has been significantly increased from 253kW to 481kW. Thanks to this, the EV6 GT can run up to 342 km (certified by the Ministry of Industry) on a single charge while stably supplying power to the high‒output motor. As such, the EV6 GT provides powerful performance while also showing efficiency.
The EV6 GT isn’t just about powerful acceleration and high maximum speed; The overall improved chassis also provides a stable and dynamic driving experience. The first key is Electronic Control Suspension (ECS). Since ECS changes the damping force of the damper according to the driving conditions of the vehicle, the type of road surface, and the driving mode selected by the driver, it is possible to actively respond to various driving situations. So the driver can fully enjoy the powerful output of 585 horsepower.
In addition to the addition of ECS, the EV6 GT improved movement by changing the front suspension structure from MacPherson struts to MacPherson multi‒links, and added strut rings to enhance body rigidity. The rear suspension consisting of 5 links has not changed structurally, but by adding a crossbar inside the trunk, it improves followability and increases rigidity at the same time. Thanks to these changes, the EV6 GT was able to show more robust and agile driving characteristics.
The second is the Electronic Limited Slip Differential (e‒LSD) used on the rear wheels of the EV6 GT. The e‒LSD of the EV6 GT maximizes driving dynamics while minimizing unstable movement when the powerful rear‒wheel motor of 367 horsepower / 390 Nm is momentarily transmitted to the rear wheels. By automatically distributing left and right driving forces to the wheels with high traction, it improves driving stability when cornering so that high power can be fully transmitted to the road surface.
The third is improved braking performance that controls the robust performance of the EV6 GT. To this end, the EV6 GT replaced the front calipers with an improved monoblock four‒piston and housed brake pads with a coefficient of friction improved by 20%. In addition, braking response has been enhanced by utilizing a new integrated electric booster.
Regenerative braking is also tuned for the high performance of the EV6 GT. For example, the regenerative braking works in a broader speed range than the basic EV6 and pursues strong deceleration by increasing its strength. If its strength is high, not only will the load on the physical brake be reduced, but it will also be possible to move an active load just by taking your foot off the brake pedal. This characteristic is further strengthened in GT mode, which is a high‒performance driving mode, similar to how a high‒performance sports car activates powerful engine brakes.
EVs are faster than internal combustion engines, but there is a misconception that they lack emotion because there is no fun factor to excite the driver. But the EV6 GT is different; Various elements stimulate the driver’s emotions and provide an exceptional driving experience.
As mentioned earlier, the first is the newly added GT driving mode. EV6 GT is equipped with driving modes such as Eco, Normal, and Sport that EV6 currently has. However, the newly added GT mode offers a completely different driving experience. The moment you press the neon‒colored GT button at 4 o’clock on the steering wheel, the car’s drive motor, brake, steering, suspension, e‒LSD, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) all change dynamically.
You may feel these changes right away as driving stability and dynamics are noticeably improved. As a result, you can experience an exhilarating driving experience like never before. In particular, it is attractive that the EV6 GT can completely disable the ESC, unlike a typical EV. This means that the EV6 GT can also do exhilarating power slides that slide the rear of the body just like other sports cars do.
e‒ASD (Electric vehicle Active Sound Design) is an emotional element that makes this fun even more dramatic. The e‒ASD, which produces a virtual sound suitable for the driving mode, provides a dedicated sound in the GT mode of the EV6 GT, adding to the auditory fun. You can feel as if you are driving a high‒performance sports car because the e‒ASD dedicated to GT mode provides different tones depending on the driving speed, acceleration situation, and torque changes.
The final element of the EV6 GT’s true fun is the Drift Mode. This provides the pleasure of drifting by properly distributing the driving force of the front and rear motors in an oversteer situation. Some EVs can also drift for a short time by concentrating driving power only on the rear‒wheel motor. However, the drift mode of the EV6 GT allows full‒scale drift through a separate logic.
To use the EV6 GT’s drift mode, you have to go through a few steps: first, with the transmission in P, press the brake hard and change the driving mode to Sport or GT. After that, if you release the ESC completely and pull the two paddles behind the steering wheel at the same time for 3 seconds, a message will appear on the instrument panel indicating that drift mode is active. Then the EV6 GT will enable exciting drifting.
The power, dynamic driving performance, and emotional driving experience of the EV6 GT are also revealed in its interior and exterior design. This characteristic is prominent in the front and rear bumpers and wheels on the outside, and the steering wheel and the seat in the cabin. Speaking of the front bumper, its lower air intake area has been changed to a more dynamic shape that matches the high performance of the EV6 GT. Its design strongly reveals its sporty character, and even with these small changes, its unique features are maximized. A newly added diffuser stands out on the rear bumper. According to the vertical fin of the diffuser, the reversing light has also been changed to a vertical shape, and the reflector has also been changed from a horizontal to vertical shape. And the highlight of this change is the GT‒exclusive 21‒inch performance wheels and the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S, an ultra‒high performance tire. In addition, neon‒colored high‒performance brake calipers are added to complete the dynamic look of the EV6 GT.
The cabin has also changed a lot; First of all, the neon‒colored stitching points on the steering wheel and seats stand out. In particular, a new sporty D‒cut design and a bright neon‒colored GT mode button have been added to the steering wheel to show off powerful performance. One of the biggest changes is the sports bucket seats in the front seats. The bucket seat satisfies both the functionality that perfectly holds the body in extreme driving and the visual satisfaction that comes from the sporty design. The bucket seat of the EV6 GT goes a step further, saving 2.4kg (based on the driver’s and passenger’s seats) by applying a slim design and lightweight materials.
The launch of the EV6 GT means a lot; The fact that EVs can give us the same high performance, fun, and sensibility that internal combustion engines have given us, and in some cases, even exceed those standards. This high‒performance EV6 GT will reduce our prejudices against green cars, and we expect more of the fun the future mobility world it will bring to us.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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