Kia has announced US pricing for the refreshed 2023 Kia Niro EV, which starts at $39,450, about $500 less than the outgoing model. The car will arrive at US dealers this month and will be available in all 50 states.
The 2023 Kia Niro EV comes in two trims – “Wind” and “Wave.” Wind is the base model, starting at $39,450, and the upgraded Wave model will cost $5k extra to start at $44,450.
Both trim levels come with the same 64.8kWh battery, but the Wave has upgraded headlights, heated mirrors, power sunroof, and some interior and exterior upgrades. It also has the coolest upgrade, Kia’s Vehicle-to-Load inverter which allows you power devices off the car’s battery.
To see a full list of the differences between the Wind and Wave trims, check out Kia’s trim comparison page.
Compared to the rest of Kia’s lineup, the Niro EV base model is $1,950 cheaper than the $41,400 EV6 base model, Kia’s newer crossover based on its dedicated E-GMP platform. The EV6’s base model comes with a smaller battery pack than the base Niro EV – 58kWh instead of 64.8 kWh – and has correspondingly lower range, 232 versus 253 miles.
Kia calls the Niro its “intelligent” EV and its EV6 the “emotional, halo” EV. Halo is a term that typically denotes more exotic, eye-catching models in an automaker’s lineup, intended to increase interest in the brand even if customers don’t buy that specific vehicle. These also tend to be the more expensive cars in the lineup, though in this case, it’s possible to buy a more expensive Niro EV than a base model EV6.
Electrek’s Take
We have to say we’re a little disappointed by this news. When we did our Kia Niro first drive in San Diego, they told us pricing for the hybrid ($26,490) and PHEV ($33,740) versions but hadn’t yet announced the EV pricing yet. We thought at the time that mid-30s would be a better price than, essentially, 40k.
To be fair, Kia was dealing with the recently-signed Inflation Reduction Act, which made them ineligible for the US Federal EV tax credit, throwing the company’s pricing for a loop, especially compared to peer vehicles like the now-US-built ID.4.
Now the 2023 Kia Niro EV price is $1,955 more than the ID.4 before credits – not to mention $13,850 (!!) more than the 2023 Chevy Bolt. And, both of those cars qualify for federal tax credits as well, adding another potential $7,500 to the difference.
Kia has already announced that it wants to start producing EVs in the United States in 2024 in order to regain tax credit eligibility, so perhaps they’ll only need to ride out the next model year or two before closing that gap.
And right now, due to enormous EV demand, price differences may not matter much at all. Every EV is selling out everywhere, and it’s difficult to find them at MSRP. So while we have to compare MSRP since that’s the only guideline we have, MSRP is somewhat meaningless right now and for the foreseeable future.
Maybe Kia is right, here, and inflated EV demand will keep EV prices above MSRP for long enough that the company’s tax credit ineligibility won’t really matter. If it takes a couple years for supply to catch up with demand (which we think it will), then Kia might just sell out of Niros at any price.
Even compared to Kia’s own lineup, I personally would rather have an EV6 built on a dedicated EV platform than the EV version of the multi-powertrain Niro, though I acknowledge that the Niro does have some benefits over the EV6. It has a taller cargo area, is a less bold statement than the EV6, and has a slightly higher range than the base EV6 (though really not enough to make a big difference, especially given the EV6’s improved fast charging capability). Some customers may prefer that “intelligent” choice over the “emotional” draw of the EV6, at least in the way Kia frames it.
What do you think about Kia’s pricing strategy? Do you think this is the right price for the Niro, particularly compared to both gas and electric competition, both from within Kia and without? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re interested in the 2023 Kia Niro EV, click here to find a local dealer and see if you can snatch one up at close to MSRP. Cars are expected to arrive at Kia dealers this month.
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Author: Jameson Dow
Source: Electrek
