Kia EV6 Vs BMW i4: Specifications Comparison

Within the span of a week, India has gotten two more premium electric vehicles. First came the BMW i4, and now, Kia’s brought over its first all-electric vehicle, the EV6, to India. Sure, the two EVs have different design philosophies, but they fall under a fairly similar price range between the Rs 60 lakh to Rs 70 lakh mark. The question is which one of these two premium EVs is the one to go for? Let’s take a closer look at them on paper:

Dimensions

Just by looking at it, you’d think the Kia EV6 would comfortably beat the BMW i4 in this department. But it's the latter which is a fair bit longer than the crossover. That being said, the EV6 does gain an edge in being wider, taller and having a more stretched wheelbase.

Key Features

Both EVs are quite nicely loaded in the features department. Common bits include twin screens, an electric sunroof, climate control and a premium sound system. While the i4 has a bigger touchscreen and more potent climate control and sound systems, the EV6 gets more colours for the ambient lighting and an augmented reality head-up display. 

The EV6 also stands out with its ‘Relaxation’ front seats, which, at a touch of a button, reclines to an almost flat position. The i4’s party trick is that it runs BMW’s latest i-Drive 8 user interface which allows for an Assistant AI interface to run vehicular functions using voice commands and various personalisation options.

Safety

Neither the BMW i4 nor the Kia EV6 fall short in the safety department. But, what gives the EV6 a crucial edge is the fact that it has advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), which the former doesn’t get in India.  

Powertrains

Under the hood is where the BMW i4 really starts coming into its own. Despite us not getting the spicier AWD i4 M50 powertrain in India, the RWD eDrive40 gives it 15PS more grunt than the EV6 in its top-spec AWD configuration. That being said, the latter’s AWD setup does give it a slight edge in the 0-100kmph sprint time. The Beemer has also got a larger battery pack with 83.9kWh capacity.

Range And Charging

The i4’s larger battery pack does come handy, as the electric sedan is capable of eking out better range than the EV6 on a single charge, as per the WLTP test cycle. Due to the EV6’s comparatively smaller battery pack, it manages to charge from 10-80 per cent just that little bit faster when using a India-relevant 50kW fast charger. Yes, the EV6 is capable of charging up to 350kW, but it's not really relevant as there’s no charger in India with that kind of capability in the first place.

Prices

*All prices ex-showroom 

All said and done, there’s a variety of areas you need to consider while buying either a sedan or a crossover within this price range. If your focus is on cool party tricks, space, as well as ADAS, then the Kia EV6 certainly fits that bill with the top-spec GT Line AWD also being up to Rs 5 lakh cheaper than the BMW i4.