It’s about 225 miles around the Big Island of Hawaii on the main highway. Most of today’s fully electric cars simply can’t pack enough juice to do the entire loop—starting and ending at Kona, for instance.
The 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric should be able to do that in its longer-range version, which, Hyundai has just revealed, has a 64.0-kWh battery pack, larger than that of any other non-Tesla EV. That earns it a driving range of 292 miles in the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP)—a result that will likely equate to an EPA-rated range of 250 miles or more. That would outdo the 236-mile figure that the same procedure cites for the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Hyundai will offer the Kona Electric in two versions, with the main differences being battery capacity and motor output. The more affordable model will have a 39.2-kWh battery pack that may beat the 151-mile rated range for the new 40.0-kWh Nissan Leaf.
The higher-capacity Kona Electric won’t just go farther; it is also quicker and more powerful. The 64.0-kWh version has 201 horsepower versus 133 in the 39.2-kWh version, although both do make the same 291 lb-ft of peak torque. According to Hyundai, the model with the larger pack is 1.7 seconds quicker to 62 mph (7.6 seconds versus 9.3). Top speed, in European spec, is 104 mph. While all-wheel drive is offered throughout the gasoline Kona lineup, the Electric is front-wheel drive only.
One surprise strength for the Kona Electric is charging. As with the current Hyundai Ioniq Electric, the Kona EV will be able to take advantage of speedier 100-kW Combined Charging System (CCS) fast-charging hardware. Using such a charger, the 64.0-kWh pack can get to an 80 percent state of charge just as quickly as the smaller 39.2-kWh one. But with Level 2 (240-volt commercial or home) charging and the 7.2-kW onboard charger, the Kona Electric with the smaller pack reaches full in about six hours, versus nearly 10 hours with the larger pack. The charge port is located on the front of the vehicle.
At just 164.6 inches long and 70.9 inches wide, the Kona Electric is roughly the size of the Jeep Renegade, the Honda HR-V, or the Mazda CX-3 and a few inches shorter than the Kia Niro. From the front, the closed grille is what most distinguishes the EV from the rest of the small crossover’s lineup. Don’t expect interior packaging to be compromised in any significant way—maybe just some different footwells in back, or different seat folding—because Hyundai says the Kona’s platform was designed to integrate the large battery pack. The front seats have three-step heating, and there’s an available heated steering wheel; at least in overseas versions, there’s a choice between cloth or full leather upholstery as well as a combination of those materials.
Although Hyundai hasn’t yet detailed the Kona Electric’s specs or feature lineup for the United States—or set its pricing—we’re expecting it to be quite close to how the model is positioned in Europe. There, the list of available features includes adaptive cruise control (with full stop and go), forward-collision monitoring, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot and cross-traffic warning systems, and a driver-attention warning system. The base audio system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there’s a 7.0-inch touchscreen and available navigation, and the U.S. version is likely to carry over with comparable live weather and traffic features—and available high-end audio know-how from Krell, including eight channels at 45 watts per channel. Other available features include a flip-up head-up display and wireless inductive charging for personal electronics.
All that is subject to confirmation—potentially as soon as the 2018 New York auto show at the end of March. The brand has been making its only other all-electric model so far, the Ioniq Electric, available via traditional purchasing or, in California, through a subscription pricing model that includes all fees, maintenance, and registration charges plus charging costs. As Hyundai readies a whole family of plug-in hybrid and electric models, expect the brand to branch out and embrace plugging in. Perhaps even in Hawaii.
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Source : caranddriver