Hyundai’s first-generation Kona Electric was one thing of a darling. It was environment friendly, appeared good, and made electric motoring somewhat extra accessible for these with out Tesla cash to play with. Now 2023’s new Kona Electric (2024 for US punters) goals to maintain the great occasions rolling with a brand new look, contemporary tech, and extra luxurious than you’d count on from a B-segment crossover.
Since the primary Kona Electric’s debut in 2018 (in Europe, 2019 within the US), Hyundai’s been working exhausting on its EV sport. The launch of the Ioniq 5 and 6 have taught the corporate precious classes that, it says, knowledgeable the event of its newest electrical child. As a consequence, this guarantees to be a much more full bundle than earlier than, at a eager worth level.
In the UK the vary kicks off at £34,995, and underneath $35,000 within the US. That’ll get you a “standard” automotive packing a 48.4-kWh battery with a claimed 234-mile vary, a 154-bhp motor able to getting from 0 to 62 mph in 8.8 seconds, and as much as 101 mph. A Long Range Kona Electric sits above it within the lineup, boasting a 65.4-kWh battery, claimed 319-mile vary, a perkier 215-bhp motor that’ll crack 0-62 mph in a brisker 7.8 seconds, after which on to 107 mph. Both vehicles get the identical 188 lb ft of torque.
Hyundai’s 400-volt structure is unfortunately not the 800 volt you get within the Ioniq 5 or 6, however greater than somewhat amusingly it is the identical as that within the Rolls-Royce Spectre EV. It permits the Kona Electric to cost from 10 to 80 p.c in somewhat over 40 minutes. No matter which battery you go for, you get helpful vehicle-to-load tech to energy something you may plug right into a family wall socket on the fly.
Forward-Looking Design
Courtesy of Hyundai
Hyundai’s design workforce has (as soon as once more) performed a blinder with the automotive’s look. It cuts a positive determine and can little doubt be the darling of grocery store parking tons all around the world. The agency’s newest design language is delightfully futuristic (if somewhat First Order Stormtrooper stylish), and it comes with tech to match. Its body-width mild bar on the entrance attracts the attention neatly, and the automotive’s assorted sensors are hidden unobtrusively within the entrance bumper.
Those sensors are host to a complete suite of energetic security expertise to maintain you on the straight and slender. There’s lane-keep assists, freeway driving assists, ahead collision avoidance assists, a blind-spot collision avoidance help, rear cross-traffic assists, a 360-degree parking arrange … and way more. The Kona additionally reads highway indicators to verify the pace restrict, watches you to verify your eyes are on the highway, screens your driving to see in case you’re drowsy, and checks to verify each of your fingers are on the wheel. You’d should work mighty exhausting to crash.
Sensory Overload
The security equipment on board is complete—it must be to stick to varied rules—but it surely’s additionally extremely irritating and in some circumstances flawed. Pull as much as a junction and dare to look away from lifeless straight down the highway for various seconds—to, say, be sure to’re not about to drive into the trail of a lorry—and also you’re handled to an indignant “bong” with a flashing mild telling you that you just’re not paying sufficient consideration.
Rest your fingers too frivolously on the wheel and it thinks you’re going hands-free, so that you get one other bong. If it thinks you’re sleepy, it’ll bong at you and inform you to take a break. Indicate to alter lane with a automotive close by? That’s proper, a giant ol’ bong, as a result of it thinks you may hit one thing. Every time the pace restrict adjustments, the automotive will bong, exceed the restrict by a single mile per hour … bong.
