Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs Kia Niro EV Wind: 5-year cost to own in the U.S.
As of August 6, 2026, over 5 years (U.S. average, 12,000 mi/yr), the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) is cheaper from day one — about $50,835 over 5 years vs $52,769 for the Kia Niro EV Wind, a $1,934 difference. The expired federal $7,500 EV credit is not applied to either total.
Cheaper to own over 5 yearsHyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) · $50,835 total · $1,934 less than the Kia Niro EV Wind
Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs Kia Niro EV Wind — where the money goes
| Cost component | Electric · Hyundai Kona Electric SEL | Electric · Kia Niro EV Wind |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation (estimated) | $21,314 (42%) | $22,572 (43%) |
| Charging / fuel | $4,740 (9%) | $4,903 (9%) |
| ↳ of which charging loss | 12% (~$569) | 12% (~$588) |
| Maintenance | $3,660 (7%) | $3,660 (7%) |
| Insurance | $13,750 (27%) | $13,750 (26%) |
| Financing interest | $6,371 (13%) | $6,883 (13%) |
| Registration & fees | $1,000 (2%) | $1,000 (2%) |
| Total cost of ownership | $50,835 | $52,769 |
The charging-loss row is the ~10–15% of electricity lost to AC charging that you pay for but never reaches the battery — we include it; most calculators don't.
When does the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) win?
At 12,000 mi/yr the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) is already the cheaper car — drive more or keep it longer and its lead only grows.
The Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) finishes ahead, but only by $1,934 (about 4%): a lead that lives inside our default assumptions, so test it against your own miles and rates.
What decides the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs Kia Niro EV Wind verdict
The single biggest mover is depreciation: $21,314 on the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) against $22,572 on the Kia Niro EV Wind, a $1,258 gap in the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range)'s favor — the largest slice of the $1,934 verdict. On the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range), depreciation alone is 42% of its $50,835 total; on the Kia Niro EV Wind it is 43% of $52,769.
- Financing interest: Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) $6,371, Kia Niro EV Wind $6,883 — $512 more in the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range)'s favor.
- Energy: $4,740 of charging for the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs $4,903 of charging for the Kia Niro EV Wind — $163 more in the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range)'s favor.
Not one major line falls the Kia Niro EV Wind's way — every row of the table above the $106 noise floor lands in the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range)'s favor. At the dealer the Kia Niro EV Wind starts $2,725 behind the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range); running costs claw back $791 of that, but the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) still ends $1,934 ahead. The Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) is ahead from the first year — $717 after year 1 — and finishes year 5 with the full $1,934 lead; the cumulative lines never cross.
Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs Kia Niro EV Wind, side by side
Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range)
- 5-yr total cost
- $50,835
- Cost / month
- $847
- Cost / mile
- $0.85
- MSRP
- $36,875
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 29 kWh/100mi
Kia Niro EV Wind
- 5-yr total cost
- $52,769
- Cost / month
- $879
- Cost / mile
- $0.88
- MSRP
- $39,600
- Powertrain
- Electric
- Efficiency
- 30 kWh/100mi
- Electricity (US avg)
- 18.4¢/kWh EIA
- Gas price (US avg)
- $3.85/gal AAA
Full cost breakdowns
Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) vs Kia Niro EV Wind by state
No state's electricity or gas prices flip this verdict at default assumptions — the Hyundai Kona Electric SEL (Long Range) is the cheaper car in all 51 states we track.