First coming out into the international battlefield as an affordable yet bland automaker, South Korea’s Hyundai is now a far cry from the times when you would have said ‘meh’ to just about any of its models.
And there is no need to take our word for granted, as we have plenty of rewarding examples, from the still affordable Venue ($19,500 starting MSRP in the U.S.) to the big Palisade ($35,550), and from the ‘traditional’ Elantra sedan ($20,650) to the posh ($25,700) Santa Cruz unibody compact truck or the massive range of electrified models.
Speaking of the latter, the American EV family kicks off with the $33,550 Kona Electric for the 2023 model year, joined by the $41,450 Ioniq 5 and $60,135 Nexo Fuel Cell, as well as an entire roster of hybrids and PHEVs. Alas, if you were considering a Kona electric you might want to hold on to your cash for a little longer because the all-new second generation is just around the corner. Well, so to speak, considering the initial presentation that came in the middle of January was rocking big safety and tech improvements, a roomier interior, and also no details about the Kona EV whatsoever.
Luckily, as promised, March has arrived along with the international (digital) world premiere and more details have been released into the wild – including about the juicy EV model. Still, we will need to wait a little longer for the specifics regarding the U.S. market, so do take all of them with the proper caveat. Now, jumping right on board with the all-new, second iteration of the Kona Electric, the main news about the EV regards its long-range 65.4-kWh battery version delivering a (slightly) higher range figure. Right now, the current 2023 Kona Electric has an EPA-estimated AER (all-electric range) of 258 miles (415 km).
Meanwhile, the new iteration boasts a subtly improved battery capacity (from 64 to 65.4 kWh) and a surge of range to 490 km (over 304 miles) – but that is according to the WLTP estimate and based on the model with European specification. Still, Hyundai promises that Kona Electric will accelerate its Ioniq electrification strategy and will also “offer one of the most comprehensive product packages in the B-SUV segment.” Compared to the current incarnation, the Kona Electric is larger across all dimensions, and also comes with a little more power: 160 kW, which is 215 hp compared to 150 kW (201 hp).
The standard range model boasts a 48.4-kWh battery pack compared to 39.2 kWh and has 114.6 kW (154 hp) based on European specifications. As is normal today, the model also represents a technological show of force, with V2L (vehicle-to-load) features across all major regions, 10 to 80% SoC in 41 minutes, OTA (over-the-air) software updates, HUD, i-Pedal, a Smart Regenerative System, and more – including a frunk for additional storage and active air flaps for better aero and efficiency.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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