A Closer Look at the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric
The market for electric vehicles has grown tremendously over the years and with it comes a flurry of cars promising to be the best on the road. While Hyundai may not be the first brand in mind when it comes to electric vehicles, it’s definitely stepping up its game with innovative cars that combine style and efficiency. Its latest creation is the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric. Let’s see why it should be the next best electric vehicle on the road:
It is a sub-compact crossover utility.
This makes the Hyundai Kona Electric very appealing as crossovers are highly in-demand in the market today. It is also the first of its kind, although Chevrolet would categorize its hatchback Bolt model as a crossover.
It has a long range.
Tesla’s electric cars run for 220 miles while Chevrolet’s Bolt goes for up to 238 miles. But the new Kona Electric will last a lot longer with 258 miles of range from its 64-kilowatt hour lithium-ion polymer battery, making it the longest-range non-luxury electric vehicle.
It offers variety.
While the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric shares the same trim packages with its predecessor, it is 0.2 inches taller and 0.6 inches longer. It also comes in three variants: SEL, Limited and Ultimate. You can also choose from six colors, two of which are only available with the electric model.
The SEL trim includes a 7-inch screen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. It also has a driver assist feature where you get blind spot collision warnings, driver attention warnings, and collision avoidance assist for safer driving. The Limited trim, on the other hand, elevates the game with a sunroof, LED head and tail lights, high beam driver assist, Homelink connectivity and Qi-compatible wireless device.
But if you want to go all out, the Ultimate trim gives you everything from an 8-inch LCD touchscreen navigation system to a Harman infinity audio system. It also has heated front seats, rain sensing wipers and an adaptive cruise control.
It offers excellent road performance.
With 201 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque, you can rely on the Kona Electric’s permanent magnet synchronous motor to provide you with good acceleration. Hyundai also claims that it can go from 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds with limited top speeds of 104 miles per hour. Its low resistance tires fight against traction control and its lack of internal combustion noise make driving calm and quiet.
The Hyundai Kona’s battery is liquid cooled and it is enclosed in reinforced rails to protect it in the event of a crash. It has a built-in 7.2-kilowatt charger and a level 1 (110V) power supply that can fill a battery up to 80% in just 9.35 hours. Now, if you’re worried that the battery will run out while on the road, you can go to Eco+ mode, which disables the air conditioning, cuts maximum speeds to 60 miles per hours and reduces performance. You can also buy ev charging cables at your convenience.
With its full-packed features, the new Hyundai Kona Electric is definitely something to look forward to when it goes on sale in January 2019.
It all comes down to the price!
It all comes down to the price!