IGI Logo

 Kia Corp, South Korea's second-biggest carmaker, said on Thursday it will launch the pure electric high-performance model EV6 GT in the domestic market next week in a move to beef up its EV lineup.

The EV6 GT comes with a 77.4 kWh battery pack and can travel up to 342 kilometers on a single charge. It can accelerate from zero to 100 km in only 3.5 seconds, the company said in a statement.

The company said the EV6 GT will be the "fastest car" among passenger vehicles manufactured in the country so far, reports Yonhap news agency.

Kia plans to release high-performance GT versions of its upcoming all-electric models to woo customers.

The EV6 GT is equipped with Hyundai Motor Group's dedicated EV platform called E-GMP. It is being sold at 72 million won ($53 million) after tax breaks.

Other models with the E-GMP platform include the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the Kia EV6 sedan and the Genesis GV60 SUV. Hyundai Motor sells vehicles under Hyundai as well as the independent Genesis brand.

"The EV6 GT is the continuation of Kia's transformation and is the next phase of our Plan S strategy which will see Kia offer 14 fully-electric models globally by 2027," Russell Wager, vice president, marketing, Kia America, said last month.

"The EV6 GT is an entirely new level of performance for Kia and as part of its U.S. premiere we wanted to support the communities in which we live and work by helping the causes and organizations that align with Kia's core values," he added.

The EV6 GT offers a top speed of 260 km/h with a 424 km driving range and the ability to charge from 10-80 per cent in just 18 minutes.