About Kia

Despite its delayed start compared to a few of its manufacturing rivals, Kia has seen a significant amount of success in the electrified vehicle realm. The company is steadily climbing its way up in the EV segment, ranking third for sales in the first two quarters of 2022 just behind Tesla and Ford.

In 1988, the Korean automaker introduced its first electric van, the Kia Besta, and ever since has been working in some capacity to develop and manufacture battery-operated vehicles for its customer base. With the advancement of sustainable technology came two more hybrid models that acted as the foundation for today’s Kia EV offerings: The Kia Sportage Fuel Cell EV (FCEV) made its debut in 2004 followed by the Borrego four years later in 2008.

The popular Kia Optima hybrid made its way to the market in 2011 with a full-parallel powertrain, and 2014 acted as a turning point for the company with the introduction of its Soul EV – Kia’s first all-electric, no-emissions vehicle.

The company’s newest all-electric model, the EV6, was introduced to the market in 2022. This model is just one of 11 EVs Kia plans to release by 2025.

Along with the goal to extend its EV lineup comes the intent to grow global EV sales by 20% by 2025 and an additional 5% by 2029. Kia says it intends to make the transition to electrified driving easier by providing increased EV servicing locations and charging infrastructure initially in Korea with plans for international expansion.

Here’s what to know about the latest electric Kia models (base trims as of Q4 2022):

Niro Hybrid – Kia’s Niro Hybrid is available as both an HEV and PHEV, and is generally considered a great affordable option for drivers looking for a hybrid powertrain. The Niro is a bit small for an SUV, which is reflected in its smaller storage area, but for the price and the fuel efficiency it isn’t a bad trade-off.

Niro	Hybrid	Plug-In Hybrid
Base Price	$26,490	$29,590
Range	588 miles	560 miles (26 all-electric)
Seats	Five	Five
Cargo Capacity	63.7 cu. ft.	63.2 cu. ft.
Base Drive	FWD	FWD

Niro EV – The Niro also comes as an all-electric hatchback touting 253 miles of range in the 2023 model. The base “Wind” trim comes stacked with various fun tech features, including a 10.3-in. infotainment display, heated front seats and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

Niro EV
Base Price	$39,450
Range	253 miles
Seats	Five
Cargo Capacity	63.7 cu. ft.
Base Drive	FWD

Sorento Hybrid – If you’re looking for three rows of seating in a non-luxury, electrified SUV, you’ll find your options are rather limited beyond Kia’s Sorento hybrid models. Kia offers both HEV and PHEV versions in addition to an ICE model. The Sorento is Kia’s largest hybrid vehicle available, offering much more room for passengers and cargo than the brand’s other hybrid SUV offering, the Niro.

Sorento	Hybrid	Plug-In Hybrid
Base Price	$31,285	$44,990
Range	655 miles	460 miles (32 all-electric)
Seats	Six	Six
Cargo Capacity	75.5 cu. ft.	75.5 cu. ft.
Base Drive	FWD	AWD

Sportage Hybrid – Say what you want about the Sportage hybrid compared to its rivals in the compact crossover space, but you can’t deny it has a stand-out look. The Sportage is a great option for those looking for a spacious interior and fun tech features, and the hybrid versions of this vehicle are significantly more powerful than the ICE counterpart. Its external styling will be a big hit for some and a big miss for others.

Sportage	Hybrid	Plug-In Hybrid
Base Price	$27,290	$38,490
Range	520 miles	430 miles (34 all-electric)
Seats	Five	Five
Cargo Capacity	73.7 cu. ft.	74.1 cu. ft.
Base Drive	FWD	AWD

EV6 – An electric crossover with a punch, Kia found a way to keep the cabin open and roomy without sacrificing cargo space or performance on the road. For those who really want some power, it even comes with a GT trim that offers 576 horsepower (as opposed to the 225 on the base model).

EV6
Base Price	$41,400
Range	310 miles
Seats	Five
Cargo Capacity	50.2 cu. ft.
Base Drive	RWD