Hyundai unveils new 2024 Kona Electric with more features, power

Hyundai first tasted success in the electric mobility space with the fully-electric Kona. While the Korean carmaker has made serious progress in the electric vehicle (EV) segment in recent years thanks to the Ioniq range of crossovers, the Kona electric continues to draw generous sales figures in international markets.

The crossover is set to receive a major overhaul with its new generation model slated to go on sale internationally from 2024 onwards. The company has officially revealed images and details of the EV which gets a plethora of updates over its predecessor.

New appearance, larger footprint

The images suggest that Hyundai has completely overhauled the design of the Kona Electric in its upcoming iteration. Based on Hyundai's 'Sensuous Sportiness’ design philosophy, the new Kona Electric looks more radical than the current model with its parametric and pixelated lighting elements spread across its front face and rear end.

While the upcoming battery-powered Kona gets a taller stance as compared to the current model, it certainly retains the crossover-ish silhouette with a coupe-like roofline sloping backwards. The side profile boasts of multiple creases that lend the car a sharp appearance. 

Besides a more radical styling, the new Kona Electric is also larger than its outgoing counterpart. It measures 4,355mm long, 1,825mm wide and 1,575mm tall. This makes the upcoming version of the electric crossover 175mm longer, 25mm wider and 20mm taller than the current model. The updated Kona Electric also gets a 60mm longer wheelbase at 2,660mm which should translate to improved cabin space.

Roomy and feature-packed cabin

Hyundai claims that interiors of the new-gen Kona Electric is roomier than its predecessor thanks to an extended wheelbase and a wider cabin. The space is further accentuated by the white interior colour theme made of sustainable materials. 

The driver-centric dashboard panel is dominated by a floating horizontal C-Pad with integrated dual 12.3-inch screens comprising the infotainment system and the digital driver’s display. More importantly, the shift-by-wire gear selector has been relocated from the center console to behind the steering wheel, enabling more storage in the open console area.

As for features, the car is loaded with all the bells and whistles including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a Head-up Display (HUD), NFC-enabled smartphone and smartwatch access digital key, BlueLink connected car tech with over-the-air (OTA) software updates, an eight-speaker Bose Premium sound system, regenerative braking, and much more.

The new Kone Electric benefits from a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality that enables it to power or charge external electric appliances. The updated crossover also gains a comprehensive ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) suite that offers a wide range of safety features including lane keeping assist, high beam assist, driver attention warning, blind spot detection, forward collision warning, etc.

Powertrain specs

Unlike Hyundai’s Ioniq range of electric crossovers which are based on the E-GMP architecture, the upcoming Kona Electric is based on an updated version of the company’s B-segment platform which underpins the internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered Kona as well.

The Korean brand is offering two battery options with the new-gen Kona Electric– a 48.4 kWh unit and a 65.4kWh unit that offer a range of 342 km and 490 km on a single charge, respectively. Both variants of Kona feature a single electric motor that drives the front axle. 

In the Standard range variant, this motor kicks out 114.6kW (154 hp) while in the Long range model, it pumps out 160kW (214 hp). Peak torque output in both variants is 255 Nm. A 100kW DC fast charger can juice up the bigger battery pack from 10% to 80% in just 41 minutes.

(Images courtesy: Hyundai)