Kia Motors South Africa (KMSA) will “initially, at the very least” bring a single EV6 unit to the domestic market to “gather intelligence” and to conduct “feasibility studies” on the possibility of introducing this electric vehicle (EV) to the local market, says KMSA marketing GM Christo Valentyn.

“[EVs] is a space our brand has not played in locally, much like other brands.”

Valentyn notes that KMSA requires more intelligence on the domestic EV market, and the potential of the EV6 in this market, before it can make any “tangible kind of decision”.

He confirms that the EV6 is available to KMSA to distribute in South Africa, as it is produced in right-hand drive.

The Korean car maker on Tuesday premiered the EV6 to a global audience. 

The model is the first in a roll-out of seven new all-electric vehicles by 2026, including a more affordable model, which will be introduced in due course.

Kia president and CEO Ho Sung Song noted that EVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids will make up 40% of sales for Kia by 2030, or 1.6-million units a year, with more than half of these EVs, at roughly 880 000 units.

He added that Kia would not stop the production of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, as a number of emerging markets still depended on this technology. He did, however, emphasise the need for the production of cleaner ICEs.

KMSA sales director Stephen Crosse says it is impossible for the local company to ignore the steady march towards EVs in global markets.

He says the local introduction of the EV6 and other subsequent EVs out of the Kia stable will be linked to “what our government does; how government approaches the EV market going forward”.

“We all agree that you can’t ignore [EVs]. It is coming. Ultimately, as a South African society we need to get to a point where EVs are viable for our market.”

Valentyn says government will need “to come to the party” and reduce the import duties on EVs in order to assist with EV pricing, as EVs are still more expensive than ICE vehicles.

Some form of incentive for customers to make the change from ICEs to EVs will also be helpful – if, however, unlikely, he notes.

Crosse adds that engagements between government and the local automotive industry on EVs has intensified significantly over the last 12 months as the global drive towards EVs continues.

The Kia EV6
The EV6 is Kia’s first car to be based on the company’s dedicated new platform for battery EVs, the electric-global modular platform. 

The crossover offers buyers a choice of multiple fully-electric, zero-emission powertrain configurations, including long-range (77.4 kWh) and standard-range (58.0 kWh) high-voltage battery packs, offering various driving options.

An 800 V charging capability means the EV6 can go from 10% to 80% battery charge in just 18 minutes, or a top-up charge of 100 km of driving range in less than four-and-a-half minutes, depending on the derivative.

A GT version, engineered to inspire consumers looking for particularly exciting driving performance, can accelerate from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 260 km/h.

The EV6 is Kia’s first EV to be available with two-wheel- or all-wheel-drive options.

Range on the series of models can be up to 510 km.

With more than 35% charge left in the battery, the EV6 can tow items weighing up to 1.6 t.

An integrated charging control unit on the EV6 enables a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which sees the discharge of energy from the vehicle battery. 

This V2L function can supply up to 3.6 kW of power and is capable, as an example, of operating a 55-inch television and air conditioner simultaneously for more than 24 hours. 

The system is also able to charge another EV, if needed.

The EV6 will go on-sale in select global markets starting from the second half of this year.