Renewed Design, 260 Miles Estimated Range, New Hyundai Kona Electric 2024 Introduced.
While the design and features have improved greatly, the battery and powertrain remain largely unchanged.
Hyundai released additional details about the 2024 Kona Electric today, including preliminary range estimates, specifications, and U.S. availability. The current generation is among the few affordable electric vehicles priced under $35,000 in the US. The next generation is just around the corner and looks like a significant upgrade, at least on paper.
The Kona Electric's nose is more aerodynamic with cleaner surface finish, and it still features the split headlamp design, although the LED DRL is now full width.
It is also more slippery, with a coefficient of friction of 0.27, a slight improvement on the previous figure of 0.29. It also has active grille louvers to improve airflow when closed and cool the battery when open.
The EV is longer, wider and has a wider wheelbase than the previous model. It is 171.5 inches long (+5.9 inches), 71.9 inches wide (+1 inch), and 62.2 inches high. Trunk space is rated at 25.5 cubic feet, while the rear offers only nine-tenths of the cubic feet (27 liters).
The Chevrolet Bolt EV rival has a slightly larger battery pack, but range estimates are nearly the same. While the current Kona Electric gets its power from a 64 kilowatt-hour package, the 2024 model will have a battery capacity of 64.8 kWh. Hyundai's preliminary internal testing showed a range of 260 miles, just two miles more than the current generation's 258-mile EPA range. The standard battery version is estimated to have a range of 197 miles.
Charging times have improved slightly. With 400V Level 3 DC fast charging, ten to 80 percent state of charge (SoC) can be reached in 43 minutes. Customers living in colder regions of the United States may also opt for battery preconditioning.
Power output remains the same, with the long-range version's front axle-mounted electric motor delivering 201 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque, while the standard series variant is rated at 133 hp and 188 lb-ft.
New features include vehicle-to-load functionality with a maximum power output of 1.7 kilowatts. There's also a new Intelligent Regenerative system that can vary the strength of braking energy regeneration based on real-time traffic, an upgraded interior with ambient lighting, body-coloured interior accents and dual 12.3-inch panoramic displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, among others . items.
The Kona Electric will be ready to order in late fall 2023, and Hyundai is likely to announce pricing around that time frame. The outgoing generation starts at $33,500 before taxes and fees, so you can expect Hyundai to price the new one in a similar ballpark or at a slight premium.
Source: https://www.motor1.com/news/686396/2024-hyundai-konda-electric-debut/
