Kona Electric updated

Hyundai has made a series of updates to its Kona Electric, the improved version due here in the first half of 2021.

The small SUV includes improvements in design, technology, safety and practicality.

This follows a global recall of some 77,000 Hyundai Kona Electric vehicles in the model years 2017-2020 because of a battery issue which may pose a potential fire risk.

The new Kona Electric is 40mm longer than the previous version while retaining  for the Australian and New Zealand market its 64kWh battery (a 39.2kWh model is also offered overseas) and electric motor, which delivers up to 150kW power, 395Nm of torque, and a 167km/h top speed.

With tyre improvements Kona Electric offers 484km range (WLTP).

Charging the lithium-ion polymer battery from 10 to 80% takes about 47 minutes using a 100kW DC fast charger.

The Kona Electric features an optional 10.5kW three-phase on-board charger, allowing for significantly shorter charging times using public three-phase AC charging stations or with a private compatible wall box at home.

Drivers also have the option of charging their car at a compatible regular household power socket using the in-cable control box (ICCB).

An updated interior with progressive technology includes a 10.25-inch digital cluster, while the 10.25-inch multimedia screen is carried over from the last update.

New ambient light technology illuminates the passenger and driver side footwell.

Hyundai SmartSense provides comprehensive, best-in-class active safety and driving assistance systems, and the new Kona Electric is now equipped with even more functions than its predecessor.

This includes Leading Vehicle Departure Alert (LVDA), which alerts the driver if they do not react fast enough when the vehicle ahead of them starts moving – probably saving a beep from behind.

Further new safety features include Safe Exit Warning (SEW) and Rear Seat Alert (RSA). SEW warns passengers intending to exit the vehicle if it is not yet safe to do so. RSA is a door-checker feature that recognises if the rear doors have been opened prior to departing. When the drive is completed, the car alerts the driver if someone or something is in the back seat when they open the doors.

“With the new Kona Electric, we’re showing that Hyundai is fully committed to zero-emissions driving, by providing our customers with enhanced driving assistance and safety features, making it an even more desirable package,” Hyundai Motor Europe marketing and product vice president Andreas-Christoph Hofmann says.