Art of Gears
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Hyundai Kona EV Lands in Europe with 292 Mile Range

By Andrew Hulse

COLMA, CA - APRIL 07: The Hyundai logo is displayed on a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV at a Hyundai dealership on April 7, 2017 in Colma, California. South Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai announced that they are recalling 1.4 million cars and SUVs in the U.S., Canada and South Korea for a potential problem that causes engine failure or stalling. The recall includes 2013 and 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUVs as well as 2011 - 2014 Kia Optima, 2011 - 2013 Kia Sportage SUVs and 2012 - 2014 and Kia Sorento SUVs. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
COLMA, CA - APRIL 07: The Hyundai logo is displayed on a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe SUV at a Hyundai dealership on April 7, 2017 in Colma, California. South Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai announced that they are recalling 1.4 million cars and SUVs in the U.S., Canada and South Korea for a potential problem that causes engine failure or stalling. The recall includes 2013 and 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUVs as well as 2011 - 2014 Kia Optima, 2011 - 2013 Kia Sportage SUVs and 2012 - 2014 and Kia Sorento SUVs. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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Hyundai unveiled the Kona EV today in a worldwide digital release.  The small SUV will have up to a 292-mile range depending on which options are selected.

Hyundai states the new EV is the first full electric compact SUV in Europe.  Aimed at active consumers who need a small SUV but are also concerned with zero-emission driving.  They also state in the video that by 2020, 60% of their vehicles will be available in eco versions.

Right now the electric model is only available in Europe, I have read a couple of reports stating this will make it to North America later this year but I have not been able to find any confirmation of this with Hyundai official releases.

The car has all the trimmings to be a commercial success with plenty of power, 0-60 takes just

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about 7 seconds so this isn’t Tesla fast.  The car is not undrivable slow either, compare that to the Prius’ 10 second 0-60 as tested by Car and Driver.

Usability is also heavily emphasized.  Most EV’s suffer from the inability to add things like roof racks.  With the Kona’s target market, the ability to store things and outdoor gear is very important.  The car is optimized for storage not only inside, but out as well with the ability to add a roof rack with minimal performance trade-off.

View the digital reveal below.

Some of the important stats

There will be two range options, a short and long range.  The short range will have a 39.2 kWh battery pack good for 189 miles of range and a 103mph.  This is perfect for city commuting where nothing is terribly far away.

The long range option will have a 64 kWh battery pack which is what provides the 292-mile range.  It also has a more powerful motor driving the vehicle to a 7 second 0-60 vs 9.3 seconds or the smaller option.  This still is competitive with

other hybrid and green vehicles on the market now.

Both long and short-range options are equipped with the ability to quick charge.

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Tech is also big in this vehicle with Apple Carplay and Android Auto capability and a 7-inch info screen.  There is an upgrade option for an 8-inch screen with navigation as well.  No pricing information has been released as of yet.

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