Kia is teasing us, gently, with these darkened pictures of its new EV6, its all-new electric crossover, built on the same Electric-Global Modular Platform, or E-GMP, platform as Hyundai's recently revealed Ioniq 5.
Ultra-slim lights
While the Hyundai is a relatively upright design, closer in style to a tall hatchback, Kia is clearly going for something a little more swoopy. At the rear, especially, there's more than a hint of early-2000s Maserati about the whole thing, with what looks like a chopped-off 'Kamm' tail and a thin strip of LED rear lights that appears to blend into a 'ducktail' kickup.
The front looks rather more conventional for the moment, with angular headlights and some of the same curving nose styling as the Hyundai.
New badge structure
"EV6 is the embodiment of both our brand purpose, 'Movement that inspires', and our new design philosophy. It has been designed to inspire every journey by offering an instinctive and natural experience that improves the daily lives of our customers, and provide user ownership that is simple, intuitive and integrated." said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center. "Our aim is to design the physical experience of our brand and to create bold, original and inventive electric vehicles."
The name previews a new badge style for Kia, in which its all-electric line-up will be badged as 'EV' followed by a number delineating its size. So this EV6 will be a medium-sized crossover, somewhere between a Sportage and a Sorento in overall footprint.
Big 77kWh battery
By using the same platform as Hyundai, we can infer some of the EV6's talents even from this small amount of information. It should have a range of around 480-500km on one charge from its largest 77kW battery option, and the flat floor that the platform provides should make for a cavernous cabin. Four-wheel drive, using a two-motor setup, should be optional (although as Hyundai has decided not to offer a 4WD Ioniq 5 in Ireland, it's possible that Kia Ireland will also follow suit).
Kia says that the EV6 will get a "full premiere" in the first quarter of 2021, with sales starting later in the year. That should mean we'll get to see it in full before the end of this month.