Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Design and dimensions

A stylish crossover, the EV6 is similar in size to the Tesla Model Y. The Kia measures 4,680mm long, 1,880mm wide and is 1,550mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,900mm. The Tesla Model Y 4,750mm long, 1,920mm wide and 1,624mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,890mm.

Although subjective, the Kia arguably has the more interesting and dynamic design. To our eyes it is sharper than the Model Y, with a lower roofline and shallower, more aggressive side window aperture, opposed to the taller and more practical shape of the Tesla.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Interior

The minimalist interior of the Model Y will be familiar to most EV and Tesla fans, with its central, landscape-orientated touchscreen display acting as the infotainment system and instrument cluster.

For the EV6, Kia has stuck with a more traditional layout, with a large instrument panel housing a pair of curved, 12-inch displays in the center and driver's side of the dashboard. There's a head-up display, which all Teslas miss out on, and Kia says the EV6 will receive over-the-air software updates over the course of its life.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Battery pack and drivetrain

The Model Y has a single battery pack size option of 75kWh, whereas the Kia EV6 has a couple of options. The smaller of the two measures 58kWh and the larger is 77.4kWh, with either option available with the regular EV6, while the range-topping EV6 GT is only offered with the bigger battery.

As far as the drivetrain is concerned, both versions of the Model Y come with a pair of motors for all-wheel-drive. The entry-level and GT-Line versions of Kia EV6 are offered in single-motor, rear-wheel-drive and dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configurations, both with either the smaller or larger battery. The flagship EV6 GT can only be had with dual motors, all-wheel-drive and the larger battery pack.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Range

Tesla quotes an estimated EPA range of 326 miles for the Model Y Long Range and 303 miles for the more powerful Model Y Performance. For now, Kia has only announced its range figures using the WLTP test cycle, which tends to produce slightly higher numbers than the EPA.

That figure is 316 miles for the rear-drive, single-motor EV6 with the larger battery pack, which we expect to be closer to 300 miles when using the EPA testing standard. Kia hasn't yet announced the range for its other variants of EV6, but we can safely assume the one quoted so far is capable of going the furthest, being the lightest and least powerful but with the largest battery.

Kia says it has worked to improve the EV6's range by using a heat pump that makes use of heat from the car's coolant system that would otherwise be wasted. This, the company says, means at just 19 degrees Fahrenheit the car has 80 percent of the range it would normally have in the mid-seventies – an impressive feat, given how cold weather tends to lower the range of electric vehicles.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Performance

As with many of today's EVs, both the Kia and Tesla boast supercar-beating performance figures. The Tesla Model Y Long Range has a 0-60mph sprint time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 135mph, while the Performance version can hit 60mph in just 3.5 seconds and has a higher top speed of 155mph.

Meanwhile, the flagship Kia EV6 GT has a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 3.5 seconds, meaning its 0-60mph time should sit just below that of the Model Y Performance, at about 3.4 seconds. That same car has a top speed of 162mph. Lesser versions of the EV6 post 0-62mph times of between 5.2 and 6.2 seconds, depending on the drivetrain configuration and battery size.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Charging

When it comes to electric car performance, charge time is usually more important than acceleration and top speed – and for this the Kia has a trick up its sleeve, thanks to using an 800-volt charging architecture, double the voltage of most other EVs.

This is the type of system also used by the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, both of which are the fastest-charging EVs currently on sale. This means the Kia can refill its battery from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 18 minutes, when using a super-fast CCS charger from Electrify America or the Ionity network.

This is approximately seven minutes quicker than the Tesla Model Y, when using the most powerful type of Tesla Supercharger. Another charging stat from Kia is the EV6's ability to add 62 miles of range in 4.5 minutes.

The Kia can also power other devices, outputting at a rate of up to 3.6kW. As an example of how this could be used, Kia says the car can power a 55-inch television and an air conditioning unit simultaneously for 24 hours, and could even be used to charge another EV if needed, albeit slowly.

Kia EV6 vs Tesla Model Y: Price

The Tesla Model Y is priced in the US from $49,990 for the Long Range and $60,990 for the Performance. Kia hasn't yet revealed the US prices for its EV6, but in the UK it is offered from £40,895 ($56,600) after tax, with the GT-Line priced at £43,895 and the flagship EV6 GT at a much steeper £58,295 ($80,700). We will update this article when US prices have been announced.