Category: Auto Tech

Almost every manufacturer is entering the electric vehicle segment in India. Hyundai and Kia have announced their premium electric SUVs to keep up with the competition. The Hyundai SUV is known as the Ioniq 5, while its sister brand, Kia, has introduced the EV6. While the EV6 has already been launched, the Ioniq 5 will be in showrooms by August or September. Both electric SUVs are built on the same Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). They also share a lot of mechanical components. Here’s a quick comparison of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs Kia EV6 to see how similar they are and how they vary.

Design and Dimensions

The Ioniq 5 and EV6 are built on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, which is designed specifically for electric vehicles. The EV6 has a sporty design with a coupe-like profile and many curved components. The elevated back deck further adds to the athletic feel. The Ioniq 5 will draw heads with its unique headlamp and rear light design.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is a full 100 mm longer than the EV6’s, despite the fact that both EVs are built on the same platform. Due to its more SUV-like design, the Ioniq 5 is the taller of the two cars.

Powertrain 

For the Ioniq 5, Hyundai is expected to offer a 58 kWh battery pack and a new 77.4 kWh battery pack with RWD and AWD options. The Kia EV6, on the other hand, has a 77.4 kWh battery pack. It will also be available in both RWD and AWD formats.

Both EVs have the same specs, but the Ioniq 5 could get a 58-kWh battery pack. The main difference is range, with the RWD Kia EV6 getting 21 kilometres more and the AWD Kia EV6 receiving 17 kilometres more than the Ioniq 5. It’s possible that this is due to the EV6’s more aerodynamic design.

Features

The EV6 will be equipped with a plethora of cutting-edge technology and amenities. These include two 12.3-inch screens, a 10-way power adjustable driver and passenger seat with memory function for the driver, dual-zone climate control, UV glass, ventilated driver and passenger seats, multi-driving modes, rain detecting wipers, and LED DRLs and headlights. A motorised tailgate, Meridian premium sound system, AR Head-Up Display, and other goodies are included in the GT range.

EV6’s safety features include Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) system. Safety aids include ABS, ESC, Multi-Collision Brake Assist, all-four disc brakes, brake assistant system, VSM, 360-degree camera with front and rear parking sensors, and other key safety equipment.

When it comes to the Ioniq 5’s features, the international model has a unique interior feature called the ‘Universal Island’. This one-of-a-kind centre console may be adjusted 5.5 inches back and forward. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, AR-HUD, column-type shift-by-wire, sliding (5.3 inches forward) and reclining second-row seats, ‘Vision Roof’ panoramic sunroof without cross members, 15-watt wireless smartphone charger, and an 8-speaker Bose sound system are among the Ioniq 5’s other notable interior features. These features are expected to be carried over to the India standard variant as well.

Pricing

The Kia EV6 GT Line RWD is priced at Rs 59.95 lakh (ex-showroom), while the GT Line AWD is priced at Rs 64.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The Kia EV6 will be delivered from September. Hyundai, on the other hand, intends to bring its flagship electric SUV to the country as a CKD unit. Due to local assembly, Hyundai would be able to maintain the Ioniq 5 electric SUV’s price in India at around Rs 50-55 lakh.

When Ola Electric launched the S1 electric scooter in India in August 2021, the scooter came to the market in two variants – S1 and S1 Pro. While the S1 arrived at an entry-level price of Rs 99,999, the more-premium S1 Pro came at Rs 1,29,999. However, due to production constraints, Ola Electric put a hold on the entry-level S1 and started delivering the S1 Pro on a higher priority. Now, in a recent development, the production of Ola S1 will begin in late 2022 and will be re-introduced with an even lower price point.

Specifications of Ola S1

Compared to the more-premium S1 Pro, the base-spec Ola S1 misses a few features and gets a smaller battery pack. Visually, both variants have the same design and dimensions. However, while the S1 Pro gets a 3.96 kWh battery pack which offers a claimed range of 181 km, the S1 features a 2.98 kWh battery pack which claims a riding range of 121 km.

While both the S1 and S1 Pro have the same 8.5 kW electric motor, the top speed of these variants differs – 90 kmph for the S1 and 115 kmph for the S1 Pro. While the S1 has two riding modes of ‘Normal’ and ‘Sports’, the S1 Pro gets the additional ‘Hyper’ riding mode, in which the scooter can touch the higher top speed of 115 kmph.

Compared to the S1 Pro, the base-spec S1 misses out on features like cruise control, hill hold assist and voice assistant, which are currently restricted in the S1 Pro and will be made available in the upcoming Move OS 2.1 software update. In its comeback form, the Ola S1 will also come equipped with the new ‘Eco’ mode, which will be available to all the users as a part of the upcoming software update.

Do you think the comeback of Ola S1 will increase the sales volumes of Ola Electric? Will it be able to compete with other lower cost electric scooter offerings? Let us know in the comments section below.

Remember the good old LML scooters? The brand is now planning a comeback into the two-wheeler space but with a modern day angle – electric! LML Electric, as the company is now referred as has recently joined hands with eROCKIT. This is a German EV brand and the duo will manufacture e-hyperbikes in India exclusively for Indian market. Going forward, LML Electric will manufacture and sell both e-scooters as well as e-motorcycles.

As per news stories, LML Electric will initially focus on three electric two-wheelers. These include an electric scooter, an electric hyperbike and a low cost e-bike. All such products might make their official debut by the second half of 2022. The website is already up and the company will also reveal their new logo later this year. That said, actual launch and deliveries will only take place from 2023 onwards.

As of now, it is not clear which model will hit markets first. The first one could be the electric scooter, followed by the hyerbike and later the low cost e-bike. More details are awaited. LML Electirc’s CEO Mr Bhatia recently stated that all the three products will cater to both domestic and international markets. That said, the e-bikes could mainly be for exports to the US and European markets. This is because of good racing tracks besides almost a 100% penetration.

Lohia Motors Ltd (LML) is also looking at an investment of Rs 350 crore for this e-project. This also includes a brand new manufacturing facility. LML had ceased operations in 2018 and three years later, the brand got acquired by SG Corporate Mobility. Wishing the brand all the success ahead!

It was last year on the 15th of August when Simple Energy opened bookings for its electric scooter. However, even 10 months down the line, there is no sign of deliveries or even test drive updates. It seems buyers of Simple One electric scooters will have to wait longer for their scooters to arrive. Deliveries have been postponed citing potential government policy changes in the light of recent fires in EVs. The brand has posted a tweet on Twitter to give an update on deliveries.

The Bengaluru-based firm, which introduced its e-scooter last year, had planned to begin deliveries by early this year. This got shifted to June. And now, according to a recent update, vehicle deliveries will now begin in the first week of September, and test drives will begin in July. So far, the brand has garnered 30,000 reservations.

Reason For Delay?

Recently, some electric two-wheelers have caught fire, resulting in fatalities and injuries. The government has launched an investigation into the incident, and the Centre for Fire Explosives and Environmental Safety (CFESS) has been tasked with digging deeper into the problem and providing answers.

Following the conclusion of the study, the EV industry may see certain policy adjustments, notably in the areas of battery packs and testing standards. Simple Energy has deferred deliveries in order to comply with the upcoming safety standard. In a way this is good as longer / better testing in real world environment help in various things. It will not only ensure higher safety standards, but also a product that has devoid of glitches. This is something that has plagued Ola for a while.

Simple One Scooter

For its claimed driving range, the Simple One caused quite a stir in the market. The e-scooter comes with a battery capacity of 4.8kWh and an 8.5kW motor. This provides 72 Nm of peak torque resulting in a stated driving range of 236 kilometres. The company introduced an extra 1.6kWh battery earlier this year, bringing the total capacity to 6.4kWh and claiming a range of over 300km in optimum conditions. The extra battery pack costs Rs 35,000 and will be installed in the boot of the scooter eating up a significant amount of boot space.

The Simple One electric scooter is claimed to sprint from 0-40 kmph in just 2.85 seconds. In contrast, the top speed is 105 kmph. Different driving modes will be available on the Simple One e-scooter, affecting its performance and acceleration. The Simple One electric scooter costs Rs 1.09 lakh (ex-showroom) for the standard and Rs 1.44 lakh (ex-showroom) for the longer battery version.

We all know that Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has been planning to launch electric automobiles in India. The company had showcased its XUV 300 Electric SUV at 2020 Auto Expo 2020. This product will finally hit Indian roads in less than 10 months from now. During an event where they released the Q4 sales figures, the brand also revealed plans to launch the XUV300 electric. According to a statement in the event, the XUV300 electric will be launched early next year which means between Jan and March 2023.

During the event, Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, M&M, further stated that the electric version of the XUV300 will be a larger product. This means it will be longer than its Internal Combustion Engine counterparts. It’s safe to assume, the electric version of the XUV300 will be 4.2 metres long. The current XUV300 is sub 4 meter in length in order to enjoy small cart tax benefits. The longer EV version will offer more space within the cabin and also aid the possibility of a larger, longer-range battery.

Mahindra has previously tried its hand at creating electric four-wheelers. The brand has manufactured electric vehicles such as the e2o and the e-Verito, although none of the products attracted many customers. The brand previewed its Born Electric Platform a few months ago, which will be presented in July. The electric version of the Mahindra XUV 300 SUV could be one such vehicle.

Mahindra recently teamed up with Volkswagen to explore the usage of VW’s modular electric drive matrix (MEB) components in electric vehicles. The MEB electric platform and its components enable automakers to swiftly and cost-effectively expand their electrified vehicle line.

The upcoming 2023 Mahindra XUV 300 Electric is expected to be available in two versions: standard and long-range. The Standard version is predicted to have a range of 200 kilometres, while the long-range form will have a range of 375 kilometres. The battery pack, as well as other specifications, are currently unknown. It might get a 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

If we talk about the battery and range of the upcoming XUV 300 electric, the five-seater EV will fight against the Tata Nexon EV and the MG ZS EV in its class.

2022 KIA EV6 is launched in India at a price tag of Rs 59.-95 – 64.95 Lakhs (ex-showroom). The deliveries of the EV6 will begin by September.

KIA has launched its first-ever all-electric car in India. The 2022 KIA EV6 crossover is a mixture between sedan & SUV. Priced at a premium of Rs 59.95 Lakhs (starting), the EV6 is based on the e-GMP architecture jointly developed with Hyundai. The main competitor is also its sibling car from Hyundai which is called Ioniq 5. The new EV can complete 528 km on a single full charge as well.

While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is still waiting for its launch, the KIA EV6 has made its India entry with a bang. The car is available in 2 variants – RWD & AWD. KIA plans to sell the EV6 via its 15 dealerships placed in 12 cities in pan India. KIA EV6 has also scored a brilliant 5-star ANCAP crash test rating that makes it a safe car for the segment standards.

2022 KIA EV6 Design & Features

The exteriors of the new KIA EV6 embeds futuristic and look completely different when compared to the rival Hyundai Ioniq 5. The front design embraces an all-LED headlight & DRLs with a sharp nose and big front grille. The front bumper is designed with smaller air dams to reduce aerodynamic drag. 

The side profile embeds the slanting coupe-like roofline that gives the KIA EV6 a sportscar look. The 19-inch alloy wheel design looks fantabulous. These also contrasts well with the personality of the long-range car. At the rear, the curvy and upright-set design is a KIA EV6 trademark. The LED taillights make the car stand apart in the crowd.

The interior of the KIA EV6 is similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in terms of space. The subtle use of good quality soft-touch material and dual-tone scheme looks and feels comfortable for the price tag of KIA EV6. The instrument cluster is 12.3-inch all-digital & it comes along with a driver HUD too. The floating 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system supports Android Auto & Apple CarPlay as well. It also gets wireless smartphone charging.

To enhance the cabin experience, KIA has equipped the EV6 with several features. These include a big sunroof, leather seats, 10-way powered ventilated seats, various driving modes, etc. KIA has also equipped the new EV6 with additional features such as a HUD, ADAS, 12.-3-inch infotainment display, 12.3-inch instrument console, brake-energy regen, 10+ connected car features, powered tailgate, 8 airbags, Front collision warning assist, etc. Although, the headroom at the rear seat is a bit tight for taller passengers due to the coupe-like roof design.

Powertrain & Driving Range

The KIA EV6 is an international product that is already known for its very capable electric motor power & long-distance driving range. The KIA EV6 is launched in India with a bigger 77.4kWh battery pack. This battery pack produces 229hp of peak power & 350 Nm of peak torque for the RWD variant. The AWD variant produces 325 hp of peak power & 605 Nm of peak torque.

The WLTP cycle claimed driving range of the KIA EV6 is a whopping 528 km on a single charge. For charging, the EV6 can behold a very fast 350kW DC charge, which will see the battery go from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, and on a 50kW fast charger, the battery will take 73 minutes for the same level. The Kia EV6 comes with a 22kW wall box charger as standard for charging the EV crossover at home via the portable home charger. KIA has not released the charging timings for this portable charger.

So, comment down & tell us your thoughts on the newly launched EV6 in India.