Not everyone needs a 400-mile electric car, writes James Stinson
There’s no doubt about it, electric cars are getting cheaper. At the lower end of the market, the Dacia Spring, available from just £15k and the Renault 5 e-tech, from £23k, will give electric cars sales a massive boost. By 2027, VW plans to launch new electric supermini, the ID.1, that will cost around £17,000. EV sales still only account for a fifth of new cars sales but a tipping point is on the horizon, perhaps in the next few years, where sales of electric cars will outstrip petrol and diesel. Improved battery technology and economies of scale (building more means building cheaper) are playing their part. Car makers too are becoming savvier about what they are offering. Where the focus was all about increasing range, car makers have now come to realise that some buyers are prepared to sacrifice mega range and/ or performance if it means shaving a few grand off the asking price. Take the latest Kia EV6 Air for example.
The Kia EV6 is an exceptional car – one of the best EVs around. When it launched in 2022, entry level versions cost nearly £46,000. That car was fitted with a 77.4kWh battery and delivered an official range of 320 miles on a single charge. It could reach 60mph from a standing start in 7.2 seconds. When it was given a refresh last year, an even bigger battery was added, extending the range still further to a possible 361 miles. Entry level prices remained close to £46,000. But Kia has just launched a new EV6 which is nearly 15% cheaper, with prices now starting at just over £39,000.
They’ve been able to shave so much off the asking price by using a smaller battery. Other models retain the larger 84kWh battery but the new entry level ‘Air’ Standard Range now features a 63kWh battery. The range drops to an official 265 miles, which will likely be closer to 200 in the real world while performance is more modest. 0-62mph now comes up in 8.7 seconds compared to around 7 seconds. That’s still silly acceleration and more than enough for all but the most eager drivers. The drop in range is interesting too. The media and buyers have been agonising over range these last few years. True, many drivers want and need to be able to do 300 plus miles and more on a single charge, but many don’t. Charging up at home overnight with a range north of 200 miles will meet the needs of many drivers in Northern Ireland, where we generally have shorter commutes.
The insurance group for the new entry-level model is also reduced, to 29E, further aiding affordability for cost-conscious customers. Based on the same Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture, with the same 800V charging capabilities, as the wider EV6 range, the new variant remains capable of charging from 10-to-80% in as little as 18 minutes from a 350kW DC charger, and 58 minutes from a 50kW DC charger. It also offers the same generous level of space for occupants, as well as a 490-litre luggage capacity and 52-litre ‘frunk’ for storing a charging cable. Powertrain and battery aside, the new model features the same generous standard specification as the EV6 ‘Air’ with the larger 84kWh battery pack.
Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, heated front seats and steering wheel, Smart Cruise Control with stop/go functionality, start/stop button with smart entry, a panoramic driver display and touchscreen with navigation (formed of two 12.3-inch curved displays), wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and seven years’ free Kia Connect telematics services. The interior is finished in black cloth and artificial leather, and is available with a choice of standard or premium paint finishes. As with every other Kia EV, the EV6 is offered with Kia’s 7-year, 100,000- mile warranty (8-year, 100,000-mile warranty for EV battery and motor).