Kia EV4 Aggressive Pricing of KRW 30 Million..Tesla's Model 3 Challenge
May 01, 2025
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A new wind is blowing in the North American electric vehicle market, where fierce price competition continues. The Kia EV4, which was first unveiled earlier this month at the 2025 New York Auto Show, is a flagship sedan that demonstrates Kia's continued electrification strategy. It introduced a design language familiar to existing Kia line-up fans.
The real attraction is not the sloping bonnet or flat roofline seen in electric sedans, but the affordability. Kia has set the basic price of EV4 at $37,000. Instead, it did not mention that it was a transfer price for electric vehicle tax deductions ($7,500 in 2024).
Therefore, with the tax credit applied, the Kia EV4 basic model starts at $29,500. It is about 42.5 million won in terms of our money.This is almost $5,000 (about 7.2 million won) cheaper than the Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD, which is $34,990 when the $7,500 tax credit is applied.
The bold exterior style of the Kia EV4 is not entirely new, but it is also not a disadvantage.Kia's design philosophy is more of a concept car than practicality. The EV4 is noticeably smaller than the Hyundai Ioniq 6, a sedan.
EV4 is outwardly similar to K4, a Kia gasoline model. Moreover, I chose the front wheel drive power train for EV4.This seems to be to lower the price.The car is equipped with a powerful motor with 201 horsepower (EV 150 kW). The battery and drive motor are shared with EV6 and EV9.EV6 and EV9 are shared across Kia's E-GMP platform.
In the United States, it comes in three familiar trims: Light, Wind, and GT-Line.The base model, the EV4 Lite, has a battery capacity of 58.3 kWh with an estimated mileage of 235 miles (378 km).Both the EV4 Wind and EV4 GT-Line have larger 81.4 kWh capacity batteries.Equipped with 17-inch wheels, the maximum driving distance is 330 miles (about 531 kilometers).
EV4 interior offers satisfactory performance for the price, although some may lack some finish or quality. It provides a 12.3-inch digital cluster, infotainment, and air conditioning control, respectively. Ambient light is also a basic specification.Kia explained that the EV4 will provide a familiar experience for first-time EV buyers, focusing on comfort, space, and convenience.
Advanced driver assistance features including i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking system and highway driving assistance are attractive. In addition, the EV4's DC fast charging function can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes.
It may be the best alternative for consumers who want to buy an electric car with a driving distance of 235 miles (about 390 kilometers) for less than $30,000. In particular, it seems highly likely that large rental car companies such as Hertz will choose EV4 instead of Tesla Model 3.
Kia EV4 is expected to perform well in North America with low prices, although its exterior and interior design are divided into likes and dislikes.EV4 will be released in North America early next year.
In Korea, subsidies were confirmed in April, and formal delivery began. Standard Air, a basic trim, can be purchased at around 35 million won when the Seoul Metropolitan Government applies subsidies.
Editor Song Moon-cheol mc.song@carguy.kr
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
