Hyundai's affordable electric crossover Kona was just approved by EPA as delivering the longest range on a single charge. This puts it right behind Tesla EVs when it comes to battery efficiency.
The affordable EV segment now has a new star: The Hyundai Kona. This little electric crossover has been officially EPA rated to last a little more than 400km on a single charge. This is the longest estimated range of all EVs out there except the ones which are built by Tesla. The Hyundai Kona manages to post such numbers thanks to its large battery pack. The previous longest runner, the Chevy Bolt EV managed a run of a little more than 383km on a single charge assisted by its 60.0-kWh battery pack. The Bolt also returns an EPA-rated combined efficiency of 119 MPGe. The Kona with its 64.0-kWh battery pack both runs longer and returns higher combined efficiency at 120 MPGe.
Just like other EVs, there are three levels of charging for the Hyundai. The standard onboard 7.2-kW charger juices up the Kona in nine hours and 35 minutes. Further up the scale, a Level-3 50-kW charger does the same in 75 minutes. The quickest way to fully charge this crossover is via the Level-3 100-kW quick charger which fully charges the Kona in 54 minutes.
The Hyundai Kona EV has a 201hp-390Nm electric motor that powers the front wheels only. The conventional Kona gets an all-wheel-drive option which the EV misses out on. The electric Kona also has a revised front end with a closed grille which presumably improves its aerodynamics. The baby electric crossover will hit dealerships by the end of 2018. It will initially only be available in California. Hyundai aims to expand the availability of the Kona in the rest of the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) soon after the California sales commence.
The biggest concern for Hyundai is to get the pricing right, which is where the Chevrolet Bolt EV has already set the benchmark. The Bolt has an asking price of $37,495. Hyundai intends to offer the Kona around the same price point and if possible, lower than the homegrown EV.
