can’tcomplainaboutthequalityandfinish,butconsideringthecar’saskingprice,it doesn’tfeel
aspremium.thebuttonsandknobsseemwell-builtandfeelgoodtouse.there are loads of
features,includingventilatedseats,wirelessphonecharger,drivingmodes,anda seven-inch
infotainmentsystem withAppleCarPlayandAndroidAuto. Using theEVmenuscreen youcan
getdataabouteco-driving,powerconsumption,andchargemanagement.interesting creature
comfortsincludea driver-onlyair-conoptionwhichkeeps only the blower near the driver on and
savespreciousenergy.
thefrontseatsarecomfortablylargeandprovide
decentall-roundsupport.thedriver’sseatispowered
and10-wayadjustable.therearbench,incomparison,
isn’t as supportive.This isbecausethefloorboardis
higherthanusualduetothebatterypackunderneath.
thisrobstheseatsofthedesiredunder-thighsupport.
Youmightnotevennoticeit onshortcitydrivesbutit
maybecomeobviousif youtrytotestthebatteryrange.
as mentionedinourpreviousdrivereportofthe
Kona,Indiagetsthesmaller39.2-kWhlithium-ion
battery witha100-kW(136-PS)motor thatpowers the
frontwheels.internationally,it issaidtohavea rangeof
about 289kmbuthere, dueto thedifferenttesting cycle
oftheautomotiveresearchassociationofindia
(ARAI),theelectricSUVclaimsto runfor452
kilometresona fullcharge.in realworldconditions,
expectarangeofareassuring225 kmapproximately,
whichtakescareoftheusualrangeanxiety.
For theprice,yougettwo chargingkitswiththeKona.
Abasic 2.8-kWportablecable chargerwhichcanbe
pluggedinto astandardelectricsocket takes about 19
hoursfora fullcharge.apartfromthis,youalsogetars
70,000 worth 7.2-kWAC box chargerthatcanbe
mountedonyourgaragewallandwhichtakesaboutsix
hoursto juiceuptheKonacompletely.The latter takes
justanhourto provideachargeto last for50kilometres.
Thankfully,theKonaIwas testing hadenoughcharge
formeto pititagainst India’spremiumracetrack:the
Bic. Behindtheleather-wrappedsteeringwheel,i
reached out for the gear stick... only to realize that it has
givenwaytoa modernbuttongearselector.dampsquib.ihadtodabonthe
“d” forthedrivemodetoengagethesingle-speedreductiongearbox.thebest
thingaboutanelectriccarona racetrackis thatit deliversinstantsurge.the
entire 395Nmoftorque isatyourservicefrom themomentyou’ve selectedthe
drivemode.no turbolag,nogearshifts,justheap-fulloflinearpropulsionand
a whizzingelectricmotor,andfainttyrenoiseandnothingelse.thefeelingis
surrealanda completecontrasttoiccarsi’vedrivenattheBicearlier.
The Kona gets four driving modes: Eco, Eco Plus, Comfort,and Sport.
ecoPlusisbyfarthemostefficient.foranelectriccar,thisonedrives
surprisinglywellandfeelspeppyenoughatcityspeeds.hyundai claim a
0-100 km/h time of 9.7 secondsand we hope to test it once we get some
more time with this e-SUV.
thehandlingislikeotherhyundaihatchbacksavailableinthemarket.it’s
lightandeffortlesstousewithdecentfeedback,thoughlackinga bitinterms
offeel.thesuspensiononthesmoothtarmacoftheracetrackdidn’tfeeltoo
softandhelpedrestrainbody-roll.on pothole-riddled public roads, however,
this set-up might feel a bit firm and there can be a feeling of heaviness in fast-
paced change of direction owing to the battery stacks.
Our short track drive experienceof the Kona came to an end rather
quickly.Rollinginto the pit-laneI anchoredthe Kona, using the steering-
mountedpaddle-shiftersthatmanagethebrakeenergyregen.to thinkofit,
thiscanbea prettygoodeverydaycitycarwithzeroemissionandlow
runningcost.hyundaiclaimit’sone-fifthofa similar-sizedconventional
crossoverlikethecretapetrol’srunningcostperkilometre.that would be
less than a rupee/km for the Kona! This EV with fewer moving parts should
also be cheaper to maintain. This should help justify the e-SUV’s steep
asking price of Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom). With the whole paradigm
shift towards electric and the new benefits offered by the government, the
Kona does make good sense after all.HyundaiKonaElEctricPrice: Rs 25 lakh (estimated)
Electric Motor: Permanent Magnet
Synchronous
Max Power: 100 kW / 136 PS
Max Torque: 395 Nm
Transmission: Automatic,
front-wheel drive
Suspension: MacPherson strut front,
multi-link rear
Battery: 39.2 kWh, Lithium-ion
Polymer
Range: 452 km (ARAI claimed)
0 -100 km/h: 9.7 seconds
Top Speed: 155 km/h80 car india^ August 2019 http://www.carindia.in