Laxmi InterContinental, the authorized distributors of Hyundai, has launched its first fully electric compact SUV in the Nepali market — the Kona Electric. It is the first electric compact SUV to host a unique design very similar to its elder sibling the Kona. The introductory price of the new Hyundai Kona Electric is Rs. 51,96,000. The Kona EV comes in two model i.e. 64kw battery and 39.2kw battery pack model. However, for now, the company has brought the 39.2kw battery pack model to the market.
As it resembles the standard Kona car, there are only a few changes that the Kona EV has received. The car now has no grill upfront as there’s no engine under the hood but it has a flap which houses the charging plug. The front bumper and the rear spoiler have been tweaked for a more aerodynamic purpose. It gets the signature Kona LED headlamps which looks futuristic. On the side, it has bodywork going around with strong creases and the arc. It also has a floating roof and the body cladding for its bold characteristics. The car gets 17-inch alloy wheel and the customer can choose between seven exterior colour and 3 roof colours.
The interior of the car seems quite spacious and has received all the quirks and features that a mid-size SUV should have. The dashboard seems to be planted very well. On the centre, it has floating 7-inch infotainment system (optionally upgradable to 8-inch screen) that comes with Apple Car Play and Android Auto. It houses the digital instrument cluster that displays different information and above that there’s a heads-up display.
The front seats are ventilated and also get a heated steering wheel, it has climate control below the infotainment screen and rears a/c vents for the passenger. As there’s no gear level, the Kona EV got plenty of space on the centre and now has controls for parking, driving, reverse, electric hand brakes, and switches for the ventilation of the seats and the steering.
A 39.2kWh Li-Ion battery powers the Hyundai Kona that can generate up to max power of 135BHP and max torque of 395Nm. On a full single charge, this can give you a range of 300 kilometres. The Kona Electric can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in only 9.7 seconds and has a maximum speed of 155kmph. With fast charging, the electric SUV can charge up to 80% in 54 minutes and with normal charging the car can take 6hrs 10min to fully charge.
On the safety side, the Kona EV comes with multiple driver assistance features such as radar-guided cruise control, lane keep/follow assist and semi-auto autonomous braking system. Apart from that, it also gets forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision Warning, including Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning, Driver Attention Warning, and Intelligent Speed Limit Warning.
