Hyundai Kona Electric REVEALED – and it looks like an EV Game Changer

The Hyundai Kona Electric compact SUV has been revealed ahead of a debut in Geneva, and as the first mainstream electric compact SUV it could be a real game changer for electric cars.

Electric cars may finally be starting to become mainstream and viable as an option to an ICE car, but the arrival of the new Hyundai Kona Electric could be a real game changer for the electric car market.

As the first electric compact SUV to hit the market, the Kona Electric wraps up an appealingly able electric powertrain in to the Kona’s on the Zeitgeist compact SUV body, to deliver an EV which will be truly appealing for a big chunk of the market.

Taking the already able Kona, Hyundai has raised the ride height a tad, added a smooth grille, fitted a new centre console for the EV controls, thrown in a decent infotainment system (up to 8″) and HUD to deliver a proper little electric urban warrior.

As we’ve already reported, the Kona Electric will come with a choice of two lithium-ion battery packs, with the entry-level 39.2kWh pack good for 186 miles for its 133bhp electric motor, and  the chunkier 64kWh version promising 292 miles from a single charge for its more potent 201bhp electric motor.

That translates to a 0-62mph time for the smaller motor of 9.3 seconds and a time of 7.6 seconds for the more potent 210bhp motor. Both come with 290lb/ft of torque available from the off, so even the smaller motor should feel lively.

The range figures for the new Kona Electric are based on the new WLTP testing regime, so should be a chunk more reliable as a guise to real-world range, and Hyundai say the Kona Electric will take around six hours to charge at home for the 39.2kWh battery and 9.5 hours for the 64kWh pack.

Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Hyundai Europe’s VP Marketing, said:

By launching our All-New Kona Electric, we are pushing our ambitious eco car strategy forward. It’s a car of no compromise – combining an SUV body type with electric-mobility. It represents Hyundai’s progressive character. With Hyundai Motor, the future is now!

Hyundai aren’t saying when the Kona Electric will be on sale in the UK, or how much its costs, but expect it to start from around £25k and be available to order by the summer.

Hyundai Kona Electric Photos