With a few days to go for its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show 2018, Hyundai has revealed first images of the Kona electric SUV. The new Kona Electric will be Hyundai's first fully-electric subcompact SUV for the European market and will carry the same design language from the conventional Kona. Hyundai will offer two electric powertrains for the Kona electric with a claimed travel range of close to 482kms for the larger battery. The new Kona electric will feature closed grille and a dedicated centre console in the interior for intuitive operation of the shift-by-wire gear control.
(Hyundai will offer two electric powertrains for the Kona electric with a claimed travel range of close to 482kms for the larger battery)
Also Read: All New Hyundai Kona Electric Teased Ahead Of Global Debut This Month
"Hyundai Motor is already leading in future mobility solutions," says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. "By launching our All-New Kona Electric, we are pushing our ambitious eco car strategy forward. It's a car of no compromise - combining an SUV body type with electric-mobility. It represents Hyundai's progressive character. With Hyundai Motor, the future is now."
(On the inside, the Kona electric features a new high-resolution 7-inch supervision cluster that displays different gauges)
The front of the Kona electric is as powerful and expressive as the regular Kona with the closed grille enhancing aerodynamics. Other enhancements include the composite light, LED DRLs positioned on top of the LED headlights and two-tone roof with option of seven exterior colors. It also features a distinctive lamp bezel and front bumper. In profile, the short rear overhangs and wing-type bumpers underline the forward motion, while the roof rack enhances the sleek roof line and has the option for mounting a roof carrier. It also features side sills, adding a slightly elegant touch to the Kona electric. At the back, the design from the front is picked up at the rear with the rear bumper and a lamp bezel on the slim LED rear lights. It also gets wrap-around claddings with integrated indicator and reversing lights, while the rear spoiler features an integrated LED brake light. The dedicated 17'' alloy wheels is exclusive to the Kona electric.
(The Kona electric also features Hyundai's SmartSense active safety and driving assistance technologies)
Also Read: New Hyundai Kona Subcompact SUV Unveiled: Will It Come To India?
On the inside, the Kona electric features a new high-resolution 7-inch supervision cluster that displays different gauges, such as the speedometer, battery charge level, energy flow and driving mode to the driver. Depending on the selected drive mode, background color and gauges are adapted to provide the most useful information. The Kona electric also features Hyundai's SmartSense active safety and driving assistance technologies, which include cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning system with lane keep assist, blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention warning and speed limit information function.
Now talking about the electric motors, as already mentioned, the Kona electric comes with two powertrain versions. The smaller 39.2 kW Lithium-ion Polymer battery pack can produce 133 bhp of max power and 395 Nm of peak torque and has a travel range of 299 kms. It can go from 0-100kmph in 9.3 seconds and takes about 6hrs 10 min to fully charge while quick charging takes about 54 minutes for 80 per cent charge. On the other hand, the larger 64 kW Lithium-ion Polymer battery pack can produce 201 bhp of max power and 395 Nm of peak torque and can attain a top speed of 167kmph. While it takes about 9hrs 40 min to charge on a standard charge, it can charge up to 80 per cent in 54 minutes. The larger battery pack has a travel range of 469 kms before it stops for charging.
(All-New Hyundai Kona Electric features a distinctive lamp bezel and front bumper)
Also Read: Hyundai To Launch Its First Electric Vehicle In India Next Year
The Kona electric is one of the products planned for the Indian market, and as confirmed to Carandbike team, Hyundai will launch its first electric vehicle for the Indian market by next year. If all goes well, the Kona electric could be the first product to come to the Indian shores from the South Korean stable.
