Hyundai Kona Electric listed on brand's India website
Hyundai seems to be on the verge of achieving a landmark milestone India, with its upcoming Kona Electric SUV. Not only will this be Hyundai's first-ever fully-electric offering in India but it will also go on to become the country's first all-electric SUV.
By Divyank K. Bansal
Just days before the car's launch in India, Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has gone on to list the Kona Electric on its website.
Hyundai seems to be on the verge of achieving a big milestone in India with its upcoming Kona Electric SUV. Not only will it be Hyundai's first-ever fully-electric offering in India but also the country's first all-electric SUV. Recently, Audi India held an exclusive preview of its first all-electric model, the e-tron, in India. However, the e-tron is only likely to hit the showroom floors sometime towards the end of the year. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is set to launch the Kona Electric just a few days from now – on 9th July.
So, what can we expect from this new electric crossover? Well, because it’s a significant launch for India, we took a trip to Korea last month to get behind its wheel, and the report, to our delight, is quite positive. As many of our readers might be aware, the Kona model line-up (in the international markets) consists of an ICE-powered derivative, an all-electric version and a recently-added hybrid version.
However, while the three iterations are quite different beneath the skin, Hyundai has done a really impressive job of adding minor changes here & there to differentiate the three versions. Now, the Kona Electric features a slightly more modern design language, featuring a fully-covered grille, which houses a charging port, and the larger alloy wheels with aerodynamic spokes. Apart from these, the Kona Electric features a more aerodynamically-enhanced design. You can read all about it in our detailed first drive report.
Visuals aside, the Kona Electric will also be the first EV in India to offer a practical driving range, which is pegged at 449km, based on the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) cycle. The Korea-spec model, the one we drove, comes with a rather large 64kWh battery pack, packing in 201bhp and 395Nm of torque – impressive figures indeed! However, due to homologation and feasibility requirements, we're yet to see what configuration will Hyundai bring to India. Watch this space for more updates on the Hyundai Kona Electric...
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