India’s first real electric SUV, the Hyundai Kona has been launched at a price tag of INR 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom). According to the brand, the SUV has been specifically designed by keeping in mind the future of mobility. The Hyundai Kona was first unveiled in February 2018 and the electric version of the car looks almost identical when it comes to the unique alloy wheels as well as the lack of front grille.
According to the reports, the all-new electric SUV will be imported to India as a CKD unit while it will be assembled locally at Hyundai’s Chennai facility. In order to keep the cost under check, the brand is also planning on sourcing the EV components in India itself. Initially, the leading car maker plans on bringing 1000 units of Kona Electric SUV to India.
Coming to the design, the electric SUV features a very unique-looking front grille design that supports the charging port and the front and rear bumpers have been designed to accommodate the aerodynamic intake and exhaust vents respectively.
In terms of cabin, the Kona Electric features a minimalistic design with black/beige upholstery and an 8.0-inch infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The all-new electric SUV comes with 373 litres of boot space while gets a 7.0-inch instrument console and is packed with features like automatic climate control, wireless charging and more. The customers can switch onto different driving modes namely Eco, Comfort and Sport of the EV through the display and get more information on the power consumption.
The front seats of the electric car are heated and ventilated while can be adjusted in 10 ways. The EV has been equipped with electric parking brakes, powered sunroof, and it also gets a Virtual Engine Sound System as an additional safety feature. The standard safety kit for the Hyundai Kona includes 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control system, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors and camera.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor that generates a maximum power of 136 HP and an utmost torque of 395Nm. It is mated to a single-speed automatic gearbox. The EV is known to complete 0-100 kmph in just a duration of 9.7 seconds. The 39.2kWh lithium-ion battery working on the Hyundai Kona allows it to cover a distance of 452 km (ARAI certified) on a single charge. The battery requires as little as 57 minutes to be fully charged via a 50kW DC fast charger.
The Hyundai Kona is available with a home charger while the brand plans on installing charging stations at its dealerships for the ease of the customers. The EV can be availed with a 3-year/unlimited warranty as standard as well as an 8-year/1.6 lakh kilometre warranty for the battery. There are no competitors to the Hyundai Kona Electric as of now.
