Hyundai’s second EV, the Kona Electric, gets a 470-kilometre range from a single charge in its highest, 64kWh specification.
The small SUV, the first EV in the segment, has two battery options, with the lesser option providing 300 kilometres of range from a 39.2kWh battery pack. Both variants have 167kph top speeds and 394Nm of torque. It'll be revealed in the metal at this year's Geneva motor show.
The shorter-range version, which has a 133hp motor, sprints to 100kph in 9.3sec, while the longer-range, 200hp variant takes 7.6sec. Efficiency for both engines is as yet unconfirmed, but Hyundai is targeting 15.2kWh per 100km under the new WLTP testing regime. The charger port is located next to the Hyundai badge on the nose.
Hyundai claims that the car’s battery pack is integrated into the Kona’s platform without encroaching upon interior space, meaning that the regular Kona’s luggage space is unchanged. Without the charge cable, the Kona Electric provides 373 litres, falling to 332 with the cable stowed. There’s additional storage space in the front of the car.
The Kona Electric’s lithium ion battery pack can be charged in as little as 54min to 80 percent capacity from a 100kW fast charger in long-range form, or 9hr 40min from a standard AC source. The same fast-charge time applies to the short range car, but the standard AC charge time falls to 6hr 10min.
On the outside, it’s similarly styled to the regular Kona, but has a closed grille and no exhausts, while the 17-inch alloys are exclusive to the electric Kona. The bumpers and spoiler are tweaked for aerodynamics.
Inside, there’s a digital dashboard, head-up display and 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, with the option of an upgraded 8.0-inch unit, which brings uprated navigation and a data subscription for one year. The front seats are heated and ventilated, as well as eight-way electrically adjustable, with two-way lumbar support adjustment for the driver. A heated steering wheel is optional.
The Kona Electric is something of a tech flagship of the small SUV’s lineup, with numerous driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, a lane centring system, rear cross-traffic alert and automatic emergency braking. A five-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating is targeted.
Hyundai’s first EV, the Ioniq Electric, makes up around 5 percent of the model’s sales, although with a longer range even in its short-range specification, is likely to sell quicker than the divisively styled Ioniq.
Hyundai plans 16 electrified cars in its international lineup by 2025.
As we had learned back in August, last year, Hyundai is likely to launch the Kona Electric in India, soon.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Glenn Noronha
Dhruv Dhaka
