Hyundai made a mistake. Even though it had a dedicated green car platform, Kia was tasked with creating a crossover while it prepared a Prius rival. We've heard that in Korea, the Niro continually outsells the Ioniq by a factor of at least two. This lack of vision will be corrected by introducing an electric version of the Kona.
The subcompact soft-roader was just launched with a small array of conventional engines. However, we know that an EV is planned to be released at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
And here it is! The Kona EV has recently spied at a charging station. The design of the wheels is unmistakable, so we know exactly what we're looking at, despite the camouflage. However, many of the Kona's features will be tweaked.
It's hard to tell what kind of impact this new model will have on the market. The Renault Zoe remains the No.1 best-selling EV in Europe and will soon be joined by an all-new Nissan Leaf.
To battle them, the Kona EV is rumored to have an electric range of between 210 and 240 miles (338 and 386 km). That's good enough, provided that the price is right. Of course, that all depends on which driving cycle is used as a benchmark, as the higher-end 64 kWh version of the Kona battery might have a European rating of 500 kilometers. But that's only in theory.
Of course, all Kia Niro sales are in basic hybrid form, which is always going to be a little cheaper. A Niro EV is also coming in 2018, and both cars are likely to share the 120 HP motor. But incentives can still play a role.
Hyundai also plans to introduce a smaller A-segment SUV and a larger E-segment crossover towards 2020. While none of these products have been confirmed for Europe yet, the Kona EV makes perfect sense in the context of looming combustion engine bans.
And here it is! The Kona EV has recently spied at a charging station. The design of the wheels is unmistakable, so we know exactly what we're looking at, despite the camouflage. However, many of the Kona's features will be tweaked.
It's hard to tell what kind of impact this new model will have on the market. The Renault Zoe remains the No.1 best-selling EV in Europe and will soon be joined by an all-new Nissan Leaf.
To battle them, the Kona EV is rumored to have an electric range of between 210 and 240 miles (338 and 386 km). That's good enough, provided that the price is right. Of course, that all depends on which driving cycle is used as a benchmark, as the higher-end 64 kWh version of the Kona battery might have a European rating of 500 kilometers. But that's only in theory.
Of course, all Kia Niro sales are in basic hybrid form, which is always going to be a little cheaper. A Niro EV is also coming in 2018, and both cars are likely to share the 120 HP motor. But incentives can still play a role.
Hyundai also plans to introduce a smaller A-segment SUV and a larger E-segment crossover towards 2020. While none of these products have been confirmed for Europe yet, the Kona EV makes perfect sense in the context of looming combustion engine bans.