KONA’s an online hit

HYUNDAI has introduced what it claims is a ground-breaking new electric vehicle with an unrivalled range and is available to buy only online from this weekend.

Costing about £25,000, including a tax payer-funded £5,000 Government grant, the KONA Electric is claiming a non-stop driving range of 300 miles.

The company says that the newcomer, which is emissions-free when running, can travel from Land’s End to John O’Groats for less than £20.

Unusually, however, it is not available at Hyundai dealerships and can only be bought online at www.hyundai.co.uk/clicktobuy.

Hyundai has commissioned a poll among motorists to coincide with the car’s arrival, which concludes that running costs, reliability and price are what motorists mainly look for when buying a car.

Researchers polled 2,000 British car-buyers and found that fuel type, road tax and the brand image also influence the motor we go for.

Economy, handling and safety have a bearing too – as do size, comfort and emissions.

On the long-distance journey, the company says that driving the same distance in a medium-sized petrol-powered car would cost £120.

In an obvious reference to Nissan’s best-selling North East-made electric LEAF, Hyundai says: “The KONA Electric is the first mainstream family electric vehicle to have such a range. The 300 mile threshold is normally limited to electric cars costing twice as much.’’

The KONA Electric will accelerate from 0-60mph in just 7.6 seconds, which is comparable to a hot hatch, and has a top speed of 105mph, while producing zero emissions and being exempt from road tax.

Sales of pure electric and plugin hybrid vehicles are up 25% this year, with a new model registered in the UK every 10 minutes.

The newcomer attracts a £4,500 Plug-In Car Grant, and additionally there is a £500 grant that can be put towards the purchase and installation cost of a home charging point.

The Hyundai research also found that motorists typically own a car for five years and eight months before buying a new one.

And when they do, they’ll check out just three vehicles before making their mind up on which one to buy.

Six in 10 will take someone with them when shopping for cars, and one quarter of those who do will take a parent along.

Amid this, 39% have purchased a vehicle only to regret it later.

Other factors that are taken into account when buying a new car include the length of warranty, boot size and the types of wheels.

Overall size of the car is important too, as is the quality of the sound system and the colour of the interior and the exterior.