At a steady rate, electric vehicles are starting to rule the streets. In fact, several carmakers have vowed to build only electrified vehicles as early as the next decade. At this pace, EVs are becoming the normal drives and rides, and perhaps the mighty combustion engine won't be able to stop them.
But this was not the case until around the previous decade. People weren't quick to adopt EVs because of a number of reasons. For instance, there's the so-called range anxiety, as EVs don't store enough power for daily drives. Technology, however, managed to catch up and EVs have been selling like pancakes.
As far as EVs are concerned, Tesla Motors is taking the lead. Its huge advantage, however, is quickly losing ground with other carmakers creating products similar to its offerings. In May this year, Kia further solidified its entry into the world of EVs by unveiling the new EV6 all-electric crossover. The EV6 has been compared with the Tesla Model 3, but that's a comparison between a crossover and a sedan.
Thus, it would be better to match the Kia EV6 up with something more comparable, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Surprisingly, the 2022 EV6 might be a better purchase than the feature-rich 2021 Mustang Mach-E.
More Power, Quicker Sprint For Kia EV6
Power for the new Kia EV6 is stored in a Nickel-Cobalt-Manganese battery pack available in two sizes: 58.0 kWh and 77.4 kWh. Power is sent to either the rear wheels to all wheels (with varying output at the front and rear axles). The EV6 RWD with the 58.0-kWh battery offers 167 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque while the 77.4- kWh variant delivers 218 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. An EV6 AWD with a 77.4-kWh battery yields 313 hp of output and 446 lb-ft of torque.
On the other hand, Ford Mustang Mach-E with the Standard Range 68-kWh battery offers 266 hp and 317 lb-ft for the RWD variant and 266 hp and 428 lb-ft for the AWD model. The extended-range (88 kWh battery) RWD variants offer 290 hp and 317 lb-ft while AWD models deliver 346 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque.
With these models, the Kia EV6 can't touch the Mustang Mach-E. However, things are different for their high-performance versions. The EV6 GT with the 77.4 kWh battery is able to deliver 576 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to zoom from nil to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.
This is better than the Mustang Mach-E GT or the GT Performance Edition. Armed with 480 hp of output and 600 lb-ft (634 lb-ft for the GTPE), the Mach-E GT can do the sprint in 3.8 seconds. The limited GTPE can do so in 3.5 seconds. Theoretically, the apex Kia EV6 can outrun the range-topping Mustang Mach-E in a drag race.
EV6 Takes Less Time To Recharge Than Mustang Mach-E
In terms of range, the Kia EV6 models fitted with the 77.4-kWh battery pack are estimated to provide up to 300 miles of all-electric range on a single charge. The official range will be released near the EV6's launch date. The Ford Mustang Mach-E offers basically the same range on the 88-kWh RWD variant, with other models yielding between 211 mph and 270 mph.
Nonetheless, it takes less time for the EV6 to be recharged than the Mustang Mach-E. Furthermore, the EV6 can be recharged using several charging systems, as made possible by the world’s first patented multi-charging system that could support 400v and 800v DC charging. This system works DC chargers at speeds between 50 kW and 350 kW. When plugged in a 350-kW fast charger, the EV6's battery charge jumps from 10% to 80%. This setup also adds 70 miles of charge in less than 5 minutes.
A Mustang Mach-E with a larger battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in 45 minutes. Meanwhile, the Ford electric SUV with the smaller pack can be brought back to 80% of charge (from 10%) in 38 minutes. These all mean that the amount of time it takes to charge an EV6 to 80% is less than half than that of the Mustang Mach-E.
On the other hand, a 77-.4kWH Kia EV6 using an 11kW onboard charger for Level 2 recharging via a 240v outlet can be recharged from 10% to 100% in 7 hours, 10 minutes. In comparison, RWD Mustang Mach-Es equipped with a larger battery can be recharged from zero to 100% in over 14 hours.
EV6 Can Be A Power Source On Wheels
Both electric crossovers have considerable standard and available exterior and interior features as well as driver assistance and safety systems. However, there is one feature that stands out the most for the Kia EV6 -- Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality. This converts the EV6 into a power source on wheels, allowing it to power up anything via an Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU).
The EV6 mobile power system offers up to 1,900 watts of power to electrical appliances, devices, tools as well as recreational equipment. An EV6 has a 110V power outlet in front of the second-row seat base, allowing the electric SUV in fully charged status to supply electricity for 36 consecutive hours until the battery’s charge drops to 10%.
Source: Kia, Ford