Kona’s an EV that can go for ever
Hyundai’s range is a game changer
THE Hyundai Kona EV isn’t the best car we’ve tested so far this year, or the most fun. It’s just the most important.
Why? Because it is the first electric car that combines a long range with a realistic price. Look what we have so far in the EV world: at the top end we have the headline grabbing Teslas and the beautiful new Jaguar I-Pace which we tested earlier in the year.
They can manage almost 300 miles on a single charge but cost well over £60k.
At the other end we have the more affordable EVs such as the Nissan LEAF, Renault Zoe, Volkswagen Golf E and the BMW i3. Affordable, but limited in range to around 130-150 miles.
The Hyundai Kona EV comes with a choice of two different capacity batteries – 39kWh or 64kWh. The latter, according to Hyundai, gives you a maximum range of 300 miles. And here’s the thing, the Kona EV really does go a long way on a charge.
In a recent test between all available EVs carried out by What Car? magazine, the Kona came
out with the best real-world range at 259 miles. At £32,845 the 64kWh Hyundai is half the price of the I-Pace yet has better range.
The 39kWh version has a range nearer 150 miles which puts it into the same class as the Nissan and Renault. Yes, this Kona is cheaper at £27,250 but I don’t see the point.
A word about money before we carry on. As you’ve probably
heard, the Government has scrapped the plug-in hybrid grant, but there’s still a grant for pure EVs – but cut from £4,500 to £3,500.
The prices we’ve quoted for the Hyundai are all with the grant deducted.
I had no range anxiety in the Kona at all. Driving it normally, including using the air conditioning, I sailed past 200 miles with plenty left. I don’t do that many journeys longer than that, and if I do I’ll have stopped for the loo or a coffee. Plug the Kona into a motorway rapid DC charger and it will charge to 80% capacity in about 50 minutes. That’ll give you an honest 200 miles of further range.
So what’s it like to drive? Well, it’s fast, that’s for sure. The 201bhp electric motor produces 291lb ft of torque and gives the Kona a furious 0-62mph time of 7.6sec.
It makes the car feel like a 1980s hot hatch as its front tyres scrabble for grip and the steering wriggles. It might look like a 4x4 SUV but the Kona is only twowheel drive, powered through the front wheels.
The Kona’s interior is pretty plasticky for a £30k-plus motor. The SE version, which costs £35,145, comes with an 8.0in touchscreen which includes sat nav and all the other infotainment goodies that you’d want.
The non-SE version makes do with a 7.0in screen that doesn’t include sat nav.
The Kona’s interior space isn’t generous and the boot holds 330 litres of luggage which is barely adequate – in fact, it’s rather unimpressive.
There are other areas in which the Kona EV is not hugely impressive too. It’s ride is a bit jittery and the steering doesn’t have very much feel.
However, all the criticisms are minor because there is no other electric vehicle out there that you can put on your drive for £250 per month, with a 10 grand deposit, that can be your only car.
It is easy to overuse the phrase game-changer, but Hyundai’s Kona EV really is. For the moment at least, it’s unique.