√2022 Kia EV6 prices rise by $4600, existing orders not protected

Kia’s sold-out EV6 electric car has been hit with a near-$5000 price hike – and those in the queue will need to accept the price rise, or cancel their order.

Kia Australia has increased prices across the 2022 Kia EV6 electric car range by $4600 – and buyers already in the queue are believed not to be price protected.

Now in effect, Kia’s $4600 price jump sees the EV6 range span $72,590 plus on-road costs (up from $67,590) for the base Air RWD, to $87,590 plus on-road costs (up from $82,990) for the flagship GT-Line AWD.

Drive has contacted Kia Australia for comment – however, regular increases in production and shipping costs are expected to be the culprit, as opposed to an increase in standard equipment or performance.

Dealers have advised customers their existing orders will not be price protected – meaning customers will need to accept the price rise to keep their place in the queue, or cancel their order and have their deposit refunded.

It’s in contrast to past price rises on other Kia vehicles, which are typically price protected – albeit with smaller price rises than that applied to the EV6 – and main electric-car rival Tesla, which locks in prices at the time of order.

A lack of price protection leaves buyers open to any further price increases at a later date, as wait times for new Kia EV6 orders – given the current limited build allocation for Australia – can stretch up to two years.

According to Kia’s website, drive-away prices across the Kia EV6 range now stretch up to $95,000 (in NSW) for the flagship GT-Line AWD.

The effect on the upcoming EV6 GT performance variant remains to be seen – a model previously expected to cost approximately $95,000 plus on-road costs, using overseas pricing as a guide.

The new price hike places various EV6 variants in doubt of EV incentives across the country; the GT-Line RWD is now beyond NSW’s $78,000 cut-off for a stamp duty exemption.

In Western Australia, EV6 Air buyers are no longer eligible for a $3500 rebate, as the vehicle’s ‘dutiable value’ has crossed $70,000 (excluding dealer delivery and registration) – effectively resulting in a $8100 price hike for buyers in these states.

While the EV6 Air’s old $67,990 price was below the circa-$68,750 cut-off in NSW, Victoria and SA for a $3000 rebate, these governments include dealer delivery fees – usually about $2000 – in the ‘dutiable value’ used to determine if a vehicle is eligible for the rebate.

Adding the dealer delivery charge would previously push the EV6 Air to about $70,000, beyond the cut-off – meaning it was never eligible for these incentives.