The 2024 Kia EV6 gets a new trim that gives buyers more range at a lower price.
News of the 2024 EV6 Light Long Range was originally found by Green Car Reports’ partner site CarsDirect, citing a dealership order guide, but GCR has since confirmed the new model’s arrival with Kia USA.
The Light Long Range will cut the price of the EV6’s larger 77.4-kwh battery pack by up to $2,750. That’s the difference between the Light Long Range’s $45,950 base price (including destination) in single-motor rear-wheel-drive form and that of the next-highest Wind trim level. The EV6 Wind’s base price is unchanged from 2023.
Both the Light Long Range and Wind are are expected to meet or beat this configuration’s 2023 EPA rating of 310 miles of range. The EV6 Light was previously available only with a smaller 58-kwh battery pack affording 232 miles of EPA range. The Light Long Range costs $3,350 more than the standard version, according to CarsDirect.
2023 Kia EV6 GT
Upgrading to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain is an extra $3,900, but that’s equivalent to the premium for all-wheel drive on other EV6 trim levels.
The new lineup parallels the approach used for the three-row EV9, which offers its highest range of 304 miles in Light Long Range trim. It’s also the second time Kia has reshuffled the EV6 lineup since the EV’s launch for the 2022 model year.
While the EV9 is expected to be eligible for the EV tax credit of up to $7,500, the EV6 is made in South Korea and isn’t eligible.
Kia initially raised prices for the EV6’s second model year, for 2023, and dropped the base Light version with the smaller battery pack. That version returned this spring at $43,925 with destination, but was only initially available in a subset of states.
Kia USA confirmed to Green Car Reports that the 2024 EV6 Light Long Range and 2024 EV6 Light will be available in all 50 states.
2023 Kia EV6 GT
The EV6 is one of the fastest-charging affordable EVs, and because of its good efficiency and modest battery pack size, it doesn’t require seeking out the highest-power chargers. That gives it an advantage in charging livability versus its Hyundai Ioniq 5 platform-mate.
Kia this past week said that the EV6 will be the first of its models to get the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge port, in the U.S. The rollout is scheduled to start in late 2024.
with reporting by Bengt Halvorson