Base 2023 Kia EV6 Is $7,100 More Expensive Than Last Year’s Version
Kia’s electric hatch now rings the bell at nearly $50,000 to start, after $1,000 across-the-board price hike.
Kia America announced Wednesday that the 2023 Kia EV6 will start at $49,795, including a $1,295 destination charge. That effectively raises the price of entry to the automaker's flagship electric vehicle by $7,100 over the 2022 model. Previously, the Light base trim started at $42,695 including destination, though that model has now been discontinued and replaced by the Wind RWD trim.
While there's no denying the eye-popping price hike due to Kia playing Musical Chairs with the EV6 base models, a massive range increase accompanies the new higher price. The former entry-level EV6 offered a range of just 232 miles on a single charge, while the new Wind RWD model can travel up to 310 miles. That's a 78-mile range increase—or roughly $91 for every mile of range gained. Is that enough to justify Kia's hike? You be the judge.
It is worth noting that the overall move doesn't sit well with current events, given that EVs are still notoriously expensive compared to their combustion counterparts. Any affordable-ish electric car like the EV6 was a welcome change, yet today we have one less model than we did yesterday. The EV6 also doesn't qualify for the $7,500 tax credit due to the current Inflation Reduction Act guidelines, so it slowly but surely starts to paint a pricey picture for potential owners.
Kia spokesman James Hope told The Drive the base model of the 2022 EV6 was axed due to "strong sales and consumer demand."
If you're looking for higher-end models, including the 576-horsepower GT trim, a $1,000 increase applies to all 2023 models of the sleek EV. In exchange, buyers will get 1,000 kWh of complimentary charging at Electrify America charging stations.
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