While the details of the Kona electric will be revealed by the end of this month, it will be make its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, with the US launch in Q2 of 2018.
Hyundai unveiled the all new Kona compact SUV last year, and now the company is all set to unveil the electric version of the Kona. Set to be unveiled on February 27, the Hyundai Kona electric will be the first fully-electric SUV from the South-Korean manufacturer. The Kona electric will come in two powertrain versions with a claimed travel range of 470 kms to 500 kms. While the details of the Kona electric will be revealed by the end of this month, it will be make its official debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, with the US launch in Q2 of 2018.
Hyundai has revealed that the company’s first electric car for India will come by 2019. The company showcased the Ioniq hybrid and the Ioniq electric at the Auto Expo 2018, to gauge public reaction. While talking to carandbike.com earlier, YK Koo, MD & CEO, Hyundai India revealed that the company will introduce two new products every year by 2020, hinting that an electric car will be one of them. Koo said, “We have a long product line-up for India and currently in the middle of a market study on customer preference which would help in deciding which model to launch. By 2020, we will launch two new products for the Indian market and hope to increase the market share.”
The Kona electric will come with a wide range of convenience and connectivity features as well as active safety and driving assistance technologies. According to reports, Hyundai has tied up with LG Chemicals to develop the electric powertrain for the Kona. The new electric battery will most likely be similar to the one from Chevy Bolt. If this is true, then the Kona electric will come with a 40 kWh and 64 kWh battery packs.
The conventional Kona is Hyundai’s latest SUV and will go on sale for the US market next month. It comes in both petrol and diesel iterations, with front-wheel-drive (FWD) and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) option. The 2-litre petrol engine churns out max power of 147 bhp and develops peak torque of 179 Nm, and is mated to a 6-Speed automatic transmission, while a more powerful 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine makes 175 bhp and 265 Nm of peak torque. This engine will come paired to a 7-Speed dual clutch auto transmission. The Kona will also get a 1-litre turbo diesel engine that makes 118 bhp and 172 Nm of peak torque, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The European market is likely to get the tried and tested 1.6-litre diesel engine.