Kia today revealed the first images of the EV6, the company’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV), ahead of the car’s world premiere.
Kia made a bold statement about its electric future today, when it introduced the new EV6. Along with its first dedicated BEV, the Korean carmaker also debuted the brand’s new design philosophy, ‘Opposites United’, which, says Kia, “takes inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity. At the centre of the design philosophy is a new visual identity evoking positive forces and natural energy, with contrasting combinations of sharp stylistic elements and sculptural shapes.”
Based on the brand’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated BEV to be influenced by the new design philosophy, which embodies Kia’s shifting focus towards electrification.
According to Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Design Centre, “EV6, as the first dedicated Kia EV, is a showcase of human-centred, progressive design and electrified power. We strongly believe EV6 is a compelling and relevant model for the new EV market. With EV6 we aimed to create a distinctive, impactful design by using a combination of sophisticated, high-tech features on pure and rich volumes, while providing a unique space as a futuristic EV.”
OPPOSITES UNITED: A DESIGN PHILOSOPHY FOR ALL FUTURE KIA CARS
The Opposites United design philosophy will inform the design of all future Kia models. The philosophy is based on five key design pillars: ‘Bold for Nature’, ‘Joy for Reason’, ‘Power to Progress’, ‘Technology for Life’, and ‘Tension for Serenity’, which Kia further explains as:
- Bold for Nature is based on interaction with nature, informed by the details, shapes and proportions found both in the natural and human worlds.
- Joy for Reason focuses on the feel and ambience of Kia’s future vehicles. Future designs will fuse the emotional with the rational, creating vehicles that influence the mood of passengers, by relaxing and inspiring. It will also influence the adoption of new organic materials and more daring colours, expressing a sense of youth and playfulness.
- Power to Progress builds on the brand’s current design strengths. By drawing on and developing the skills and expertise learned throughout Kia’s recent era of design-led transformation, the designs and layouts of the brand’s future products will continue to evolve.
- Technology for Life embraces new technologies and innovations to foster positive interactions between humans and machines. The brand’s future vehicles will adopt a next-generation in-car user experience (UX) through design and innovation and advancements in lighting, feel and in-car connectivity – to help customers engage with their cars.
- Tension for Serenity evokes the tension between opposing forces and creative contrasts, and recognises the design equilibrium that comes from two opposing forces. It delivers striking design concepts that use sharp, highly technical details to create surface tension – and realise a harmonised, future-oriented design vision.
LAST WORD
Read more about the new Kia EV6 exterior and interior design, in an upcoming edition of Driven, or view the explainer video around Kia’s new design philosophy here:
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images (c) KIA MOTORS
