Hyundai Kona Electric Price (March Offers!), Images, Reviews, Colours & Top Model

The Kona Electric isn’t just India’s first long-range EV; it’s also a very good car to drive. Unfortunately, our drive experience was limited to just a few laps at the Buddh International Circuit, but in that time, we tasted enough to tell you that this car is no laggard.

Electric cars deliver their torque instantly. No waiting for an engine to rev up to a certain rpm, nor is there a gearbox to shift your way up. Slam the throttle from a standstill or even while rolling ahead at 50kmph, and all 395Nm is put down to the road immediately. The Kona EV gains speed with gusto and you will run past 100kmph effortlessly. 

Overtakes will demand no planning at all, be it at city speeds or out on the highway, because the acceleration has a very direct relationship with how much you press the, ahem, electricity pedal. Remember pushing the joystick ahead on your remote control car? Visualise how quickly that car darted ahead and now imagine you’re in that very car. That’s the Kona EV. This is what helps it get its claimed 0-100kmph time of 9.7 seconds.

What’s also addictive is how noise- and vibe-free the experience is. There is some tyre noise that gets into the cabin, but since there’s only an electric motor and no engine, the experience is very peaceful inside. Combine these two factors and you get an amazingly smooth and predictable drive experience that drivers used to petrol or diesel cars will not only find easy to understand but, perhaps, even more enjoyable!

Aside from the drive modes that alter how dull or sporty the power delivery is, you also get paddle shifters. But why? Well, the flaps behind the steering don’t control a gearbox but instead, manage the brake energy regeneration system. 

This is what turns the Kona into a single-pedal car. There are 3 levels of intensity to choose from. Once engaged, the system doesn’t let the car coast, but instead, slows it down by a certain degree (depending on the intensity chosen) in a similar way as engine braking does. So instead of wasting energy by generating friction by braking, the system uses the wheels as generators to charge up the battery. 

The good thing is, the regen, even at its highest setting, is not very intense. It’s the same as using downshifting to reduce your petrol/diesel car speed, so it’s not sudden/jerky or the same as braking hard.

This contributes to the Kona EV’s ARAI-claimed range of 452km on a full charge. But that did raise a question. Internationally, the Kona EV is available with two options: a 39.2kWh battery with a 100kW electric motor and a 64kWh battery with a 150kW electric motor. India gets the smaller battery and as per the European rating i.e. by the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), this car in the same spec as what we get in India has a claimed range of 345km.

The difference is in the testing method. The NEDC method includes top speed testing at 120kmph, while in the ARAI method, the top speed doesn’t cross 50kmph. Due to the difference in average speeds in the test cycles (set based on the average drive cycles of the respective regions), the India-spec Kona EV has a considerably higher full charge range.

The Ownership Experience

What if I have to drive through water-logged roads?

First, this is not an SUV with a high water-wading depth. So don’t venture into territories you wouldn’t take your average hatchback or sedan into. However, electric cars have an advantage here as they are protected from the biggest flooding related car killer: hydrostatic lock.

This occurs when water enters the engine block, usually because backflow from the exhaust causes water to seep in, damaging the piston and cylinder. Electric cars don’t have an exhaust, so risk eliminated! Next, the battery itself is IP67 waterproof rated. It is completely sealed from dust and employs liquid cooling. Additionally, if the water level rises to a risky level, the electric motor automatically shuts off, to prevent damage or electrocution.

How can I charge my Kona EV?

There are 3 methods, detailed below.

50kW DC Fast Charger
7.2kW AC wallbox charger
2.8kW Portable Charger

57 minutes for 80 per cent charge
6 hours & 10 minutes for 100 per cent charge
19 hours for 100 per cent charge

DC fast charging: This will be set up at select Hyundai dealerships & service centres. It can also be set up in corporate parking lots and through Hyundai’s partnership with IOCL, will also be seen at some Indian Oil petrol pumps, starting with Tier I cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore & Chennai. Using this, the Kona Electric can be charged up to 80 per cent in 57 minutes.

AC wallbox charger: This setup comes as standard with the Kona EV. Through a 7.2kW wallbox charger that will be set up at your residence, the car can be charged from 0-100 per cent in approximately 6 hours and 10 minutes. An hour’s charging with this method adds about 50km of range. Hyundai, through a third party, will have your home electricals inspected and install this charger free of cost. However, if you live in an apartment complex, you will need a dedicated parking spot (ideally, a stilt parking spot) and of course, permissions from the housing society.

Portable charger: This too is included with every Kona. This 2.8kW unit, which can be plugged into a 3-pin 15amp charge point, takes about 19 hours for a full charge. It isn’t the best charging solution but it still is something you can use in case no other option is available.

Will it cost me more in maintenance?

Not at all! Electric cars have fewer moving parts, so consumables like engine oil, parts like an oil filter or fuel filter don’t exist to need replacing. Even the battery coolant has to be replaced once every 60,000km! In fact, Hyundai claims the average running cost of the Kona electric is 1/5th of an equivalent petrol or diesel car.

What if I want to go for road trips?

With its claimed range of 452km, theoretically, a short road trip is feasible even if you discount the claimed range by a big margin. The issue, however, is that you can’t carry the wallbox charger with you and will largely be dependent on the availability of a fast-charging point. You can of course use the portable charger but that will need a few hours worth of a buffer in your travel plans. So can you manage roadtrips in a Kona EV? Yes. Can they be unplanned? Probably not.

What about the warranty?

Hyundai is offering 3 years/unlimited kilometres warranty with the Kona EV as standard. The battery pack itself is covered as standard by an 8 year/1,60,000km warranty. Technically, this is great for resale value but how the market responds to such a car in terms of resale is still unknown. Hyundai isn’t offering a buyback plan at the moment either, so there are no guarantees.

Related: Hyundai Kona Electric Charging, After-sales Support Explained