Hyundai is a Korean Car maker which is very successful in Indian Market, Hyundai has previously revealed that it will launch first all-electric car offering in India named the Kona Electric. Scheduled launch for sale by mid-2019, the all-electric SUV has been spied in India several times.
In the international market, the Hyundai Kona is available with two options – a 39kW battery pack with about 312km claimed range and a 64kW unit with a 482km range with a single charge. For India, Hyundai Motors is expected to bring the 39kW model, which makes the power equivalent of 136hp and 395Nm of peak torque, has a claimed 0-100kph time of 9.7sec and a top speed of 155kph which is more than expectation.
The Hyundai Kona is equipped with lithium-ion battery pack which can be charged to 80% capacity in as little as 54min using a 100kW DC fast charger, or 6hr 10min from a standard AC source.
In comparison to the standard variant of the Hyundai Kona, the EV gets subtle visual differences from the outside – like the absence of exhaust pipes, a closed front grille and 17-inch alloy wheels, while the cabin is equipped with a digital dashboard. Hyundai Motors claims that the battery pack has been integrated into the SUV’s platform without compromising the interior space, although the charging cable at the rear has caused the car’s original 373-litre boot space to fall to 332 litres which is manageable.
In terms of the equipment, the Kona comes with a head-up display, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation(the international markets get the option of an 8.0-inch unit as well) and front seats are heated, ventilated and come with eight-way electrical adjustability and 3 memory modes. Models sold abroad also features a number of safety features like adaptive cruise control, lane centring system, rear cross traffic alert and automatic emergency braking, Hope we get them in Indian version as well.
The Hyundai Electric Vehicle is meant to be a technology statement and show Hyundai Motors commitment to an EV future, which means that Hyundai Kona is not expected to sell in large numbers, with a target of about 50-60 vehicles per month. However, the Korean brand Hyundai is looking at assembling the Kona EV locally using CKD units in order to keep costs under the Rs 25 lakh mark (ex-showroom).
