Hyundai Kona Electric SUV to Launch in India by End-2019

Hyundai Kona will serve as the first all-electric SUV from the Korean manufacturer in India. A recent report also hints that they plan to make this model at their Chennai facility and place it slightly higher than the current generation Hyundai Creta.

No other product in their current international lineup has equal potential to Kona, which they have even checked by presenting the product at 2018 Auto Expo. It was an instant hit and, inquiries started pouring in from the very first day. The first electric car from Hyundai will enter India officially around the second half of 2019.

Kona is already on sale in select markets, powered by conventional engines with turbocharging as standard. The top spec model comes with a 1.6L, four-cylinder petrol motor and all-wheel drive layout. The model produces around 177 HP and 265 Nm. For India, the car will use 39.5 kWh battery and a 100kW electric unit that could be as powerful as a 395 Nm petrol motor.

They target to achieve 167 kph of top speed for this motor while single speed automatic gearbox will handle this power efficiently. A total driving range of 300 kms will mean a lot to people preferring clean energy in the automotive segment.

The fast charging option will bring 240 kms of range in just 1 hour, keeping you away from long waiting hours on a standard charger. If bought via the CBU route, Kona will never be an everyday product while local producing can bring this down to an affordable point.

The car also comes with a 150kW motor in some markets, producing much more power and bringing 480 kms in total range. Kona comes with a radical design that may attract more youth into the Hyundai lineup, giving them access to future technology and green energy at a reasonably good price tag.