The 2021 Hyundai Kona has made its debut in Europe revealing a few updated styling and performance changes. The predecessor Kona EV has been extremely successful in Australia since its launch. The Hyundai Kona EV was one of its kind in the Australian market as it was the only option for anyone who is looking for a fully electric compact SUV at the $60,000 mark. Fast forward to 2021, the Kona EV is now up against rivals like MG ZS EV, Tesla Model Y and Kia Niro.The most noticeable changes is on the exterior styling. To an untrained eye it may look the same. Hyundai has kept it simple yet effective. At the front, they have simplified the design of the front bumper and made it more streamline with subtle styling body lines. The design is not only more aesthetically appealing but also significantly helped with the aerodynamic of the car.
The interior has also undergone some technological upgrades. There is a new pair of 10.25 inch display – one in front of the driver and one for the infotainment. The infotainment will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. To improve cabin comfort, Hyundai has incorporated ambient lighting around the cabin, something you’ll only find on high end luxury vehicles.
The Kona EV being the front foot of technological features, a more sophisticated and refined safety systems, SmartSense, will be standard across all new EVs. The SmartSense safety system will include: rear cross traffic alert (RCCA) and blind spot collision avoidance functionality (BCA), leading vehicle departure alert (LVDA), safe exit warning(SEW), rear seat alert (RSA), forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, smart cruise control, lane following assist, lane keep assist, driver attention warning and intelligent speed limit warning.
In terms of performance, the Kona EV is still equipped with a single 64kWh lithium-ion battery pack. While the battery sizes and power output remain unchanged, the driving range has now been increased to 484km (WLTP) – an increases from the current 449km claimed. The increased range is predominantly due to the streamline body of the car thus lowering the drag coefficient. The front air intake also aid the flow of air in the wheel wells to reduce turbulent flow.
Charging speed has also been improved for 2021. Using the same CCS2 inlet, the Hyundai Kona EV is compatible with 50kW and 100kW DC charging, juicing the Kona EV up from 10 – 80% in just 64min and 47min respectively. However for most EV drivers, 90% of charging is done at work or at home using a Hyundai car charger. On the AC network, the 2021 Kona is now equipped with a 10.5kW on-board charger which means it is able to recharge from 10-100% in just under 7 hours.
The Kona will still include the most basic domestic Hyundai EV charger but will take 29 hours to recharge from a 220V/10A powerpoint. This may sound ridiculous but for a lot of drivers who travel around the city or to and from work each day this is more than enough. For example, I travel 30km a day to and from work which is approx. 10-15% of the battery taking into consideration terrain and driving behaviour. To recharge 15% of the car battery using a domestic Hyundai electric car charger will take approx. 5 hours. Dwell time at work is normally 7 hours and time at home during sleep is 8 hours. This means I will always have a full charge provided that the car is plugged in during dwell time.
To further maximise the chance of getting a faster charge, a 3-Phase Hyundai Type 2 to Type 2 EV Charging Cable will allow utilisation of all 10.5kW to energise the Kona EV.
Australia will expect the facelifted Hyundai Kona Electric to land in the first half of 2021. While pricing is still unknown, Hyundai will need to stay competitive especially with the increasing options due to be released from rival manufacturers.
For more information on the Hyundai Electric Car Charging options, visit evse.com.au
Tell us about your car and home to see recommendations.
Stocking the best Electric Car products from the World’s leading brands.
All of our EVSE products are compliant with Australian & International standards.
If you find one of our products cheaper with any other Australian retailer, we promise to beat it by 5%. Just make a note of the price and where you have found it, and then give us a call on the following number:
