Hyundai launches new Kona Electric with 304-mile range

Hyundai has revealed new details about its radical new Kona Electric, which gains a longer range and raft of new technology.

While revealed just before Christmas 2022, Hyundai released minimal details about its new second-generation crossover at the time. Like its predecessor, the Kona will be offered as an EV, as well as with hybrid and regular combustion engines. However, unlike the previous car, this new Kona has been designed first and foremost for the Electric version.

This new model gets a radical look compared to the previous Kona, with an angular design clearly inspired by that of the Tucson. Key styling details include a full LED front light bar that runs across the width of the bonnet, as well as various ‘parametric’ hidden lights.

The new Kona has grown in size, being more than 15cm longer than the previous car, with much of this going into creating a roomier cabin. Boot space increases from 332 to 456 litres, too. There are two 12.3-inch digital displays for the instrument cluster and main touchscreen, which come together to give a very modern look.

There’s more room in the centre console thanks to a new ‘shift-by-wire’ gear selector, too.

Other technology innovations include a large 12-inch head-up display, while the integration of ‘Vehicle-to-Load’ charging for the first team means the Kona’s battery can be used to charge other electrical equipment using a special adaptor.

Owners will be able to use their smartphone or smartwatch to unlock the car using the ‘Digital Key 2 Touch’ feature, while driver assistance technology has been enhanced with a blind spot view monitor, which is able to alert and display if a driver tries to change lanes when something is in a blind spot.

Hyundai has tweaked the powertrains in the Kona too, with a choice of a ‘Standard Range’ and ‘Long Range’ model, which are equipped with 48.4kWh and 65.4kWh batteries respectively, with Hyundai promising a range of 304 miles with the latter.

The Kona is expected to go on sale in the spring, with prices and specifications to be announced closer to that time.