Hyundai confirms Kona EV for Oz

Hyundai Australia has today confirmed an all-electric version of its Kona light SUV will join its local line-up by the end of the year.

The news comes just months after Hyundai announced electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its Prius-rivalling IONIQ hatch for the Australian market, the Kona EV to become the Korean brand's second all-electric offering in the sub $50,000 price bracket.

Speaking to journalists gathered for the launch of Hyundai’s newest hydrogen fuel cell powered electric vehicle NEXO overnight, Hyundai Australia’s manager of future mobility and government relations, Scott Narger, said the Kona EV will likely be on sale Down Under by the end of 2018.

“We think the time is right to introduce this kind of technology to consumers,” suggested Narger.

“We’re taking a great risk with IONIQ and Kona [EV] when we bring them in, and we’re hoping we don’t have to go through the same harsh learning as Nissan with the LEAF and Mitsubishi with the i-MIEV.

“But we welcome competition. We really want our competitors to be here. We want to give consumers choice, and when it comes to giving [consumers] a lot of different drivetrains, and options, [we believe] that competition drives innovation, and innovation drives our brand to try harder and make things better and cheaper and deploy them quicker,” he continued.

“So we welcome technology whether it’s fuel cell or EV. It’s the only way to start something in Australia, because at the moment, we’re really doing nothing at all.”

The Kona EV will make its international debut later this month. Details so far give the Kona EV a NEDC range of up to 480km, putting it within striking distance of the Tesla Model S and Model X. The figure almost doubles that of the recently launched second-generation Nissan LEAF.

Hyundai’s all-electric Kona is reportedly offered with a choice of 39.2 or 64.2kWh batteries, though it’s unclear which will be offered in Australia. Total system output is rated at 150kW.

Hyundai says the Kona EV will be fun to drive and offer “a wide range of convenience and connectivity features as well as active safety and driving assistance technologies” comparable or better than that of its conventionally-powered sibling (pictured).

The Kona EV is part of Hyundai’s plan to launch 38 alternate-powered new vehicles by 2025.

Visit motoring.com.au again soon for our international launch review of the hydrogen fuel cell-powered NEXO and next-generation Santa Fe.