Hyundai Kona EV goes the distance
Compact Korean SUV beats Tesla and Jaguar to claim real-world driving distance crownOne of the key considerations for new car buyers today is fuel consumption. But that will soon change as governments legislate combustion engines into obsolescence.
When that happens, EV driving distances could become a key criteria for new car buyers and the latest real-world test by respected Brit car mag What Car? shows that Hyundai has the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S beat.
After putting 14 electric vehicles through their paces, the real-world testing showed that the Hyundai Kona EV with a 64kWh battery, which is tipped to come to Australia in early 2019, had a range of 416km.
Coming in at equal second with a range of 407km each were the Jaguar I-PACE and Kia e-Niro.
The Jaguar I-PACE packs a powerful 90kWh battery pack and will be on sale in Australia in a matter of weeks priced from under $120,000, while the Kia e-Niro will head into Aussie showrooms in late 2019 for around $50,000.
In fourth spot was the Tesla Model S 75D, whose 75kWh battery pack was good for a 328km range. For the full list check out the story.
Australians are yet to adopt EVs in similar numbers to other mature markets such as the USA and Europe, not to mention China.
Battery recharging points and infrastructure in Australia will need more investment before Australian customers decide to take the plunge, however, there has been some movement in this regard in the last few months.
Australian start-up Chargefox has secured $15 million which will help it achieve a nationwide network of fast-charge 350kW stations it claims can deliver 400km of EV range with just a 15-minute top up. EV owners will have to pay to use the chargers but proponents say it will cost less to power the cars than conventional cars powered by petrol and diesel.
Tesla already has several fast-charge stations along the east coast of Australia but they are only available for Tesla vehicles.
Several new EVs will arrive in Australia in 2019, including the Nissan LEAF, Audi e-tron and Tesla Model 3, but it remains to be seen if more choice will convince Aussie buyers to jump on the EV express.
With real-world EV driving distances increasing, would you consider buying an EV in the next few years? Have your say in the comments section below.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
