Charging
Ahead
The Hyundai Kona comes to India and we head
to the Buddh International Circuit for a
truly electrifying experience
Story: Sarmad Kadiri
Photography: Hyundai Motor Indiahere’sthiscuriouscaseofdiminishingtechterms
fromthedictionaryofa motoringjournalist.commontermssuchasfuelstops,
transmissiontunnel,turbo-lag,andmanualgearboxaregraduallydisappearing.
hangona sec...amnothittingthepanicbuttonjustyetbecausedeepdowni
amhonestlygladtoletgoofa fewofthese.fellow motoring scribes have been
askedtouptheirtechvocabularywithcatchy words to make the fast-evolving
worldofmobilitycomprehensiblefor
thelayman.thismeansmakingsenseoftermssuchas
wallboxcharger,rangeanxiety,single-speedreduction
gear,anda thingcalled“quickcharger”whichmakes
youwaitforanhourbeforeyoucanresumedriving
again.matterofperspective,myfriends.
HavingflippedthroughabunchofEVbrochuresand
armedwithmyupdatedlexicon,ireachtheBic...ready
forsomeelectrifyingaction.icomefacetofacewiththe
firstall-electric,long-rangeSUV: theHyundaiKona
electric.it lookslikea contemporarymid-sized
crossover,aboutthesizeofahyundaicreta.the design
of the Kona is not striking but is unique enough to merit
an approving second glance.
Beinganelectricvehicle,theKonadoesn’t require afront grilleandto give
a familiarface,theengineershaveetchedthelargefrontbumperto
impersonatehyundai’ssignaturehexagonalgrille.it alsoconcealsthe
chargingsocket whichishiddenbeneathasmallflush-finishedlid.The
headlampsaremountedlowonthesingle-piecebumper,whilethesleekLed
daytime running lights are positioned above, making it an eye-catching
design. It’s only when you look at it from rear three-quarters does the Kona
appearmore robust andSUV-ish.The highroof-line,pronouncedrear wheel-
arches,andtheplasticcladdingadduptogiveit a morerobustappearance.
therearstylinggetstheusualhyundaitreatmentwithslimLed tail-lamps
and a curvaceous boot-lid.
When you get inside the car, you’re greeted by a neat-looking cabin. YouT
First Drive | Hyundai Kona Electric
78 car india^ August 2019 http://www.carindia.in