Kia has decided that its EV6 all-electric crossover sedan can fly without its entry Light trim level for 2023. The change means that the new base price for an EV6 stands at $49,795 including delivery or $7,100 more than the outgoing base car. Combined with no available tax incentive for 2023 and the cheapest new Kia EV6 is some $14,600 more than it was in 2022.
Last year, the base Light trim of the Kia EV6 had a starting price of $42,695. Add in the available (at the time) $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles and that brought the total price down to just $35,195. The Inflation Reduction Act did away with that tax credit and now that Kia has done away with the Light, the EV6 is in a decidedly different class. Kia spokesperson James Hope confirmed the change to CarsDirect.
“With strong sales and continued customer demand, the Wind RWD becomes the base EV6 for the 2023 model year, replacing the Light RWD. With just a $1,000 MSRP increase from last year, its greater range and sought-after standard features – leather seating surfaces with ventilated front seats, external and internal vehicle-to-load ports, smart power liftgate, and a Meridian premium audio system – ensures the Wind RWD offers tremendous value for discerning EV buyers.”
Read: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is Getting Ready For Prime Time
The shift to a nearly $50,000 base price for the EV6 aims its crosshairs even more directly at Tesla and Ford than they were in the past but this time, it’s not the clear favorite. The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E now starts at $48,195 but also qualifies for the tax credit. The Tesla Model 3 is priced at $46,990 but won’t qualify until the start of 2023.
It’s not even the clear winner inside of its own family. As CarsDirect rightly points out, the price difference between the EV6 Wind RWD and the recently updated Kia Niro EV is now some $9,050 where it was only about $2,000 difference. Interestingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 SE Standard, which shares much of its underpinnings with the EV6 Light, remains on sale for 2023 and starts at just $41,450. We really liked the EV6 when we drove it earlier this year but this kind of pricing has us wondering if it’s still the value it was back then.