The question if Electronic vehicles are here to stay has long since been answered with most major auto manufacturers having EV models making the sector no longer just a Tesla story. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have all done more than dip their foot in the pool, rather have jumped in with both feet. However most the afore mentioned models also come with hefty price tag so we wanted to look at an electronic vehicle that may be more moderately priced but didn’t skimp on features that were the most appealing about purchasing an EV to begin with. The Hyundai Kona is an affordable option that might change the minds of those who thought an EV was out of their reach. It also has features and style that you wouldn’t have expected for a price point under 50k.
The 2019 Hyundai Kona EV is a crossover with an estimated 258 miles of range that is expected to hit the dealerships by the end of the year, priced at a very palatable $30,000 after tax credits, provides a great alternative for those who want to get a EV but want to stay away from a post 50K price tags. The Kona has a liquid-cooled, 356-V, 64-k Wh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that’s layered between the floor boards. Weighing fewer than 1,000 pounds and assembled from what are effectively off the shelf pouch cells from LG Chem, the pack exhibits and energy density of 64.2 Wh/lb. Ok, most of you don’t know or care what that means but it’s more than the Chevy Bolt. More impressive is that the Kona (238) outdistances the Jaguar I-Pace (234) and is in the same league as the Tesla base Model 3 (260). In regards to the plug that you would use, the Konas is ewuipped with an onboard 7.2kW inverter for Level 2 charging, with capacity of up to 70-75 kW at a DC fast charging station with SAE-Combo plug. They are a little harder to find outside of California but at that rate you can go from dead flat to 80% charge in about 54 minutes.
Personally, I like the 4 doors and the lines don’t look like something you would find on a Hyundai showroom floor. Part of the perks of buying a 2019 car is all of the new technology that is out there and this car has all of it. It may take a little while to get familiar with it all but after the first week you’ll be running the show from your phone. The Kona is a great option for those of us that do want to take advantage of everything an EV has to offer but don’t want to spend over 70k to do so.