New EV6GT Owner - Why the Low Miles per kWh on My First Drive?

Electric Models Forum Kia EV6
1

Hey Everyone,

I just leased a new '24 GT, and I couldn’t resist the great deal with the lease incentives. It’s been exciting so far, but I hit a bit of a surprise on my first long drive. I drove from Portland to Spokane yesterday and was expecting around 200 miles of range. Instead, I found myself needing to stop for charging every 100 miles or so. I was on Eco mode, the temperature was around 40 degrees, and I was going at 70-80 MPH. My average ended up being 1.9 miles per kWh for the 351-mile trip. Not a deal breaker since I didn’t buy this car for road trips, but I was still surprised by the low efficiency.

Is anyone else getting these low numbers? I’m just wondering if my car is working as expected or if there’s an issue.

2

A lot of the energy loss in EVs comes from air resistance.

Air resistance increases by the square of your speed. So if you’re going twice as fast, the resistance increases four times.

Try to keep your speed under 70, especially when it’s cold outside.

3

Once you go over 70, efficiency really drops. I drove my GT from Philly to Chicago and the hills in western PA also made my mileage drop. But in general, I did better than the car’s advertised range.

Wait until you put snow tires on…

4

For long trips, I drop my cruise speed to 68 and try to stay behind trucks. I’m not close enough to really benefit from drafting, but it makes me feel like I’m not blocking traffic. It was about 50°F on my 41-mile drive this morning, and I averaged about 2.5 miles per kWh at 59 mph.

5

@Devi
Yes, this helps a lot! I also turn off the cabin heater and use the seat and steering wheel warmers. Makes a big difference .

6

For long drives, you really have to keep it under 70 if you want good efficiency. It’s annoying if you don’t like being passed all the time on highways.

7

The efficiency takes a huge hit at higher speeds. I try to keep it under 60-65 on long trips for the best range.

8

Also check your tire pressure. The dealer is supposed to check it, but they often don’t get it right.

9

I have a '23, and what you’re experiencing sounds about right for 40°F weather. Efficiency really drops at 80 mph.

You can improve it by using regen level 0 on the freeway and manually adjusting the regen when needed. iPedal uses the front motor in Eco mode, so it’s not as efficient as other regen settings.

During warm weather, I averaged 3.1 miles per kWh, but I wasn’t pushing it to the limit.

But you’re right — buying a GT for efficiency is like buying a Hellcat and expecting great gas mileage.

10

@Keir
If you’re using cruise control on highways, the regen level doesn’t matter much.

11

Sky said:
@Keir
If you’re using cruise control on highways, the regen level doesn’t matter much.

That’s right. The adaptive cruise control takes over, so regen level isn’t as important.

12

@Keir
Try using auto regen on the freeway.

13

Vic said:
@Keir
Try using auto regen on the freeway.

I’ve tried auto regen, but my efficiency wasn’t as good with it.

14

Keir said:

Vic said:
@Keir
Try using auto regen on the freeway.

I’ve tried auto regen, but my efficiency wasn’t as good with it.

It works better if you use cruise control.

15

Vic said:
@Keir
Try using auto regen on the freeway.

Auto regen doesn’t do much unless there’s traffic. It just adjusts when needed, but it’s not magical for regen.

16

Try keeping your speed at 65 and using adaptive cruise control for better efficiency.

17

Those numbers sound pretty low. I’m not an expert, but I usually get around 4 miles per kWh for city and highway driving with auto regen.

18

Haru said:
Those numbers sound pretty low. I’m not an expert, but I usually get around 4 miles per kWh for city and highway driving with auto regen.

That’s not realistic with 40°F temps and speeds of 70-80 mph though.

19

I have a '24 GT, and I usually get about 220 miles. It’s a mix of city and highway driving, and I average around 2.9-3.1 miles per kWh. I don’t floor it at every light, but I do enjoy driving it.

20

Parker said:
I have a '24 GT, and I usually get about 220 miles. It’s a mix of city and highway driving, and I average around 2.9-3.1 miles per kWh. I don’t floor it at every light, but I do enjoy driving it.

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