Until now, Hyundai had not revealed the drive range of Kona electric SUV for India. But the same has now been revealed. Hyundai India claims that the Kona SUV can travel from Rohini in Delhi to Amritsar on a single charge. Or, do a Pune – Mumbai – Pune round trip, and have some charge left. As per ARAI certification, Hyundai Kona in India will get a drive range of 452 kms.
Talking of this powertrain, the Kona in international markets is offered with two battery options of 39.2kWh and 64kWh. The smaller of these offers a range of 300 kms and puts out 134 PS peak power. It can be fully charged in a matter of 6 hours.
Acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph is achieved in 9.3 seconds. The larger 64 kWh battery pack takes upto 9 hours for a full recharge while a fast charger could charge the battery upto 80 percent in an hour while offering peak power of 203 PS and acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph in 7.6 seconds.
In terms of exterior features, the Hyundai Kona in India will come in with similar styling as is seen on its international spec model. It gets slim LED DRLs and plastic body cladding while Hyundai has done away with the grille and instead incorporated a plastic panel that resembles a grille. This grille houses a flap that opens to reveal the charging port.
This positioning in the front allows for better efficiency as it eliminates the need for the Kona to be reversed into tight parking spaces for charge. The fact that the Kona is also positioned on a 2,600mm long wheelbase also ensures that the battery pack is safely positioned in the floorboard. The automakers should bring in minor changes to the Hyundai Kona for markets in India with tweaked suspension which could offer better ground clearance to tackle road conditions in the country.
Interiors of the five seater Hyundai Kona electric SUV look identical to its conventionally powered counterpart. It gets a digital dashboard, head up display unit and a 7” touchscreen infotainment system. It also receives ventilated and electrically adjustable front seats while in terms of infotainment it gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smart phone integration.
Hyundai Kona will be brought in as a Completely Knocked Down unit. It will be priced between Rs.25-30 lakhs and will be available for sale in only 16 cities across the country. It will rival the MG eZS electric that is also poised for launch in India later this year; while in terms of pricing it is positioned in the same range as the conventionally powered Honda CR-V, Mahindra Alturas, Ford Endeavour and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
