Photo: Hyundai
Hyundai has just unveiled the 2019 Kona Electric for the American market. It's a sharp-looking guilt-free alternative to the combustion engine that also happens to have lots of power.
We had a pretty good idea of what the new Kona Electric looked like, but one crucial number was still missing: the EPA range. The electric crossover is coming to the 2018 New York Auto Show, and we have full specs.
Unlike in Europe, where they have two powertrains, America will only get the more powerful version with 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque from a front-mounted electric motor. That should much faster to around 30mph than the Kona with the 1.6-liter turbo.
The juice comes from a 64 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack that promises a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. So what's your excuse for not going electric again?
The Kona is not only fast, but also frugal, with a fuel economy of 117 MPGe, compared to 112 MPGe for the Nissan Leaf.
What do you think of the styling? The Kona Electric is growing on us with its non-metallic grey pant and slightly darker grey body cladding. The flush front bumper works really well with the narrow, futuristic headlights.
The front is also where you'll find the charging port. Hyundai says that on a fast charger, she will reach 80% charged in 54 minutes. The range of safety features is quite extensive as well, and includes lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and pedestrian detection.
As for the interior, it's a little different from the regular Kona, thanks to a floating center console with push-button gear selection and the usual green monitoring systems integrated into the digital dash. It's also pretty grey in there... a bit like the Google Pixel of cars.
“We’re confident it will set new standards for the electric-propelled compact CUV segment, with outstanding range flexibility, appealing design, cutting-edge connectivity and class-leading available safety features,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of Product, Corporate and Digital Planning, Hyundai Motor America.
Unlike in Europe, where they have two powertrains, America will only get the more powerful version with 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque from a front-mounted electric motor. That should much faster to around 30mph than the Kona with the 1.6-liter turbo.
The juice comes from a 64 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack that promises a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. So what's your excuse for not going electric again?
The Kona is not only fast, but also frugal, with a fuel economy of 117 MPGe, compared to 112 MPGe for the Nissan Leaf.
What do you think of the styling? The Kona Electric is growing on us with its non-metallic grey pant and slightly darker grey body cladding. The flush front bumper works really well with the narrow, futuristic headlights.
The front is also where you'll find the charging port. Hyundai says that on a fast charger, she will reach 80% charged in 54 minutes. The range of safety features is quite extensive as well, and includes lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and pedestrian detection.
As for the interior, it's a little different from the regular Kona, thanks to a floating center console with push-button gear selection and the usual green monitoring systems integrated into the digital dash. It's also pretty grey in there... a bit like the Google Pixel of cars.
“We’re confident it will set new standards for the electric-propelled compact CUV segment, with outstanding range flexibility, appealing design, cutting-edge connectivity and class-leading available safety features,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of Product, Corporate and Digital Planning, Hyundai Motor America.
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