New details about Kona Electric revealed

Interestingly, the new Hyundai Kona Electric comes with two powertrain options.

The company will also be offering a short-range battery version using a 39.2kWh battery, developing 99kW, with a 0-100km/h time of 9.3 seconds.

Instead of a 39kWh unit, the long-range is fitted with a 64kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, good for 470km of range.

The Nexo derives power from a 95kW fuel cell, which in turn powers an electric motor that produces 161hp and 395Nm of peak torque.

Hyundai says that the Kona can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds, it’s not drag racer but has decent performance. With the 7.2 kW on-board-charger, charging with alternating current (AC) takes 9 hours 40 minutes for the long-range battery pack and 6 hours 10 minutes for the shorter-range battery pack.

For the eco-conscious, the Kona also gets clever regenerative braking that will help charge the battery on the go. The charging port is located in the vehicle’s front next to the Hyundai logo. That said, cargo space will decline a bit over the gas-powered Kona exclusively because of storing the charge cable in the cargo bin. A new dedicated center console hosts all the buttons for the operation of the auto along with the shift-by-wire gear control, creating at the same time an extra storage space underneath it.

Hyundai states the new EV is the first full electric compact SUV in Europe. Hyundai has also tweaked the front bumper to make it more aerodynamic by implementing lateral air curtains to reduce turbulences in the wheel arch area.

The rest of the body gets mildly improved aero flow thanks to silver side-sills and a mildly modified rear wing.

Inside, there’s a fully digital instrument cluster, and heated and ventilated seats with an extra two-way electric lumbar support for the driver. It comes loaded with all the other safety and drivers aid as the conventional Kona.

In a bid to meet the demand for zero-emissions crossovers, Hyundai has rolled out their own take on electrifying the most versatile vehicle segment. Hyundai has revealed that the Kona electric will be available with a choice of two electric powertrains.