No lag, no emissions and no range anxiety
Game-changing Hyundai has the goods to turn the electric car market on its ear
This 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric is a stylish package aimed at those with an active lifestyle. The good news is that, aside from fitting that role, it’s set to put range anxiety to bed once and for all. Statistics Canada says the average Canadian’s commute is 22.8 kilometres one way. As such, the Kona Electric will allow those who commute this distance to recharge the battery just once a week.
The Kona Electric employs an electric motor with a singlespeed transmission and a 64-kWh lithium-ion battery and it takes 9.5 hours to fully recharge using a 220-volt outlet. The combination delivers one very important number: a driving range of 415 kilometres. This makes it one of the best, in spite of the range being a very conservative number; at the start of our drive, the instrumentation was showing a range of 460 kilometres. This means that, under ideal driving conditions with lots of regenerative braking, close to 500 kilometres wouldn’t be out of the question.
The beauty is, in spite of delivering zero local emissions, the Kona EV drives with a turn of speed simply not expected of an electric ride. The credit goes to the 201 horsepower and, more importantly, the 291 pound-feet of torque fired through the front wheels. Matting the accelerator from a standstill saw the EV chirp its P215/55R17 tires as it romped off the line.
But the proof of the level of performance is found in the acceleration number. As peak torque turns up the instant the wheels begin to turn, the Kona Electric whisks the driver from rest to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. That’s outstanding for an electric car.
The powertrain can be tweaked; there are Eco, Eco+, Normal and Sport modes.
Eco+ is pretty much superfluous — it turns off everything, including the climate control system, and softens the response to generate the maximum driving range.
Eco is the best for everyday driving; it brings a decent turn of speed while maximizing efficiency. It also allows the seats to be heated or cooled and uses the air conditioning/ heater to keep the cabin comfortable.
Normal mode cranks up the Kona Electric, but doesn’t make the drive feel much different from Eco.
Sport turns the Kona Electric into a speedy buggy and puts some weight in the steering. A run up a canyon road proved it to be the ideal setting for spirited driving.
The other place the driver can affect how the Kona EV drives is through two steering wheelmounted paddles that give access to the four levels of regenerative braking. The range runs from basically nothing to a one-pedal drive.
There’s a minor nit to pick: making the Kona EV a true one-pedal drive requires the left paddle to be held to maintain the level of regen braking once around 10-12 km/h. The preferred solution would be to allow the driver to control the level of retardation through the accelerator pedal, like the BMW i3. That aside, picking the most aggressive regen braking setup meant the canyon drive demonstrated there was absolutely no need to use the brakes, regardless of whether lifting for a corner or using the regen to slow a downhill descent.
The other place the Kona Electric impresses is in how it handles. The under-floor placement of the battery gives it a very low centre of gravity. This lends to a minimal roll tendency in the first place, and so the suspension was tuned to deliver equal measures of roll control and comfort.
Throw in a responsive steering setup and the added weight in Sport mode, and the Kona carved corners in a truly entertaining manner. More surprising was the fact the seat of my pants said the EV’s handling was on par with the gas-powered Kona models, if not slightly better overall.
It’s not a sports car, but it sure dispenses with the humdrum drive of a Nissan Leaf.
The EV’s cabin has been gussied up to deliver a modern look and all the desirable amenities. The base Preferred trim gets lots, while the top-line Ultimate gets everything. The instrumentation is clean and concise.
As for amenities, the list runs from the heated and cooled front seats. through to an eight-inch floating infotainment touch screen that supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and the standard GPS navigation system.
When it comes to utility, the back seat will accommodate two adults comfortably and it has the same cargo space as the gas-powered model.
Finally, all Kona Electrics come with a complete suite of standard safety equipment.
The new Hyundai Kona Electric is going to turn the electric market on its ear. It has speed, there are no local emissions, and it has that anxiety free, 415-km driving range. Pricing is expected to compete with the Chevrolet Bolt.