Hyundai is all set to launch its electric car, Kona SUV, today in India. The car is being advertised as 'India's first real electric SUV'. Recently, Hyundai disclosed that the ARAI certified range of Kona is 452 kms on a single full charge and claimed that the car's battery can be charged up to 80% in less than an hour. Globally, Hyundai Kona comes in two battery variants - a 39kWh and 64kWh, however India will only get the latter.
Hyundai Kona EV, at the moment, has no direct rivals and will be priced at around Rs 25 lakh. Some of the other EVs currently available in India are Tata Tigor EV, Mahindra eVerito and Mahindra e20 Plus. The real competition to Kona will arrive later in the year in the form of Audi e-tron and MG EZS.
Talking about the appearance, Hyundai Kona gives a fresh new look with its closed-off front grille. The two-tier light assembly is very similar to the one seen on the recently launched Venue. Instead of radiatr at the front, Kona comes with a charging point. At the back, Kona EV looks muscular thanks to the edgy design and streamlined LED tail lights.
On the inside, Hyundai Kona comes equipped with a large infotainment system. The standard gear lever is gone and replaced with a group of buttons to make the Kona go forward and back. The paddle shifters for regenerative braking control are situated at the back of the multi-function steering wheel. Also, there are electronic gear shift buttons.
Under the hood, the Indian variant will be powered by the 64.0 kWh lithium-ion batteries. There is a permanent-magnet synchronous motor and makes 204 hp and 395 Nm of peak torque. According to the company, the top speed of the higher variant is 167 kmph.
Earlier in the Budget 2019, FM Nirmala Sitharaman had offered an additional tax benefit of Rs 1.5 lakh on the interest paid on the loans taken for the purchase of the EVs.
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