Hyundai Kona Electric Facelift Revealed. India Launch Likely In 2021

It gets the same battery pack options but gets updated looks and more tech than before

• New Kona Electric looks sportier with new front fascia and body-coloured wheel arch surround.

• It has the same two battery packs - 39.2kWh and 64kWh with the same performance from the electric motors.

• Improved tyres on the 2020 Kona EV offer minor increments to the WLTP certified range on a full charge.

• The dashboard layout is unchanged but gets new 10.25-inch displays for the driver’s instrument cluster and the touchscreen infotainment system.

• Hyundai could bring the facelifted Kona Electric to India in the second-half of 2021.

The facelifted version of the Hyundai Kona SUV was unveiled in September and now the pure-electric version has been revealed too. It gets similar visual updates as the ICE version with some EV twists along with the feature updates. The powertrain options remain the same but do feature minor improvements and slightly more range.

The facelifted Kona Electric gets the new front fascia with sleeker headlamps and LED daytime running lights but the bumper does not feature a grille for more efficient aerodynamics. It has a different air dam design as well with vertical air vents while the body-coloured wheel arches enhance the Kona EV’s width and stance. Around the back, it continues the same split design for the taillamps but the lower section has been redesigned to be bigger and less boxy in shape. Overall, the new Kona EV is 40mm longer too but the wheelbase is still the same at 2600mm.

Like all new Hyundais, the facelifted Kona Electric also gets new, bigger displays. Even though the dashboard layout remains unchanged, it now gets the option of a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluelink connected car technology. The existing 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system has been updated to offer wireless compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The Bluelink app also allows Kona EV drivers to remotely start and stop charging of the car when connected to a charger. The digital driver’s display has also been updated with a new 10.25-inch screen. Another feature update for the cabin is ambient lighting in the front footwells.

Hyundai continues to offer the Kona Electric with two battery powertrains - the long-range 64kWh option and the 39.2kWh battery pack that is offered in India too. The performance of both electric motors in both variants unchanged with the torque output at 395Nm and 204PS power in the long-range version while the other offers 136PS of power. However, the improved tyres for the 2020 model have helped increase the claimed range from both. The 39.2kWh variant now claims 305km as per the WLTP cycle (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) which is an increase of 5km over the outgoing model. Meanwhile, the 64kWh variant sees an increase of 14km with a WLTP-certified range of 484km. The ARAI testing cycle varies greatly, hence why the 39.2kWh Kona EV in India can claim a range of 452km. Based on the increased range under the WLTP cycle, the 2020 Kona EV would claim a range of 460km in India.

In terms of charge times, both battery packs can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 47 minutes using a 100kW DC fast charger. The 39.2kWh battery charges at similar speeds from a 50kW DC fast charger while the long-range 64kWh battery takes 64 minutes. A 7.2kW AC charger can charge the basic Kona Electric’s 39.2kWh battery from 10 to 100 per cent in 6 hours while a regular household power socket will take 17 hours.

Other feature-updates for the 2020 Kona Electric include a host of advanced driver assist systems like blind spot collision avoidance, leading departure vehicle alert, safe exit warning and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance. These updates are unlikely to be seen on the India-spec Hyundai electric SUV.

The facelifted Hyundai Kona Electric could arrive in India in late 2021 and we can expect to see the same pure-electric powertrain in the form of the Kia Soul EV as well. We are likely to continue getting the 39.2kWh battery-pack only with the current model priced from Rs 23.76 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). In India, its direct rival is the MG ZS EV which is more affordable, has a similarly premium feature-set but has a lower claimed range.

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