Hyundai Kona Electric drive
Behind the wheel of electric crossover with 300-mile range
John_mcilroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy
THE Hyundai Kona is firmly in the middle of the pack of small SUVS on the market – but now there’s a new version that could give the Korean car a unique selling point: the Hyundai Kona Electric. And we’ve tried a very late pre-production model ahead of UK sales starting in the summer.
The Kona Electric comes with a choice of two powertrain options. There’s a 39kwh pack as the entry point, featuring a 134bhp version of the electric motor. And then there’s the 64kwh version we’re driving here, which packs a 201bhp motor and beefs up the range to 300 miles.
The car is charged via a flap that’s integrated neatly into the Electric’s flush front grille, and DC replenishment at up to 100kw will be standard.
On the road, the electric powertrain is smooth and quiet, and despite the car’s weight (this edition weighs almost 1.7 tonnes), there’s all the performance you could really need up to around 65mph. The car offers four levels of energy recuperation, selected via paddles behind the steering wheel, and this allows you to cruise freely on open roads while grabbing back as much energy as possible in stop-start traffic.
The motor’s 395Nm is more than enough to have the 17-inch low-rollingresistance tyres scrabbling for traction from rest if you stand on the throttle, and if you throw the Kona Electric at a bend at speed the nose will just wash into understeer. Lift off mid corner and it’ll tuck back in an obedient fashion. It’s safe and predictable, but not very involving. Still, it is comfortable – not least because the EV gets the same multi-link rear suspension as higherend petrol Konas. There’s a nice balance between body control and comfort; only the sharpest imperfections thunk through to the cabin.
More significantly, that claimed range of 300 miles seems very achievable, based on our time with the car. We saw energy consumption of 12kwh per 100km, which equates to range of about 330 miles. That’s impressive for this size of vehicle, and way beyond anything offered by a Nissan Leaf or VW e-golf. And if the smaller-battery Kona follows the same pattern, even its range will be a solid 200 miles.
Inside, the Kona’s facia is neatly laid out, with a smart set of buttons for heating and ventilation, and a large, crisp touchscreen. There’s a neat mix of analogue and digital displays in the instrument binnacle, too.
The poor practicality of the regular Kona is carried over to the EV, though. There’s not much knee or legroom in the rear, while the EV’S boot is 21 litres smaller than standard. And at 361 litres, its capacity wasn’t much to write home about in the first place.
We drive new electric SUV Claimed range of 300 miles