YouTube.com user Kona Kerala has documented a trip showing the Hyundai Kona Electric completing a 403 km-drive on a single charge. He drove the electric SUV from Trivandrum to Calicut.
At 17,412 km odometer reading when the trip begins, the Hyundai Kona Electric shows that its battery is charged enough to cover a distance of 341 km. When the trip ends, at 17,815 km odometer reading, 7% charge remains and the distance to empty is 40 km. Very efficient driving on the highway led to a range much higher than the initial distance to empty reading.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is available in India in the Economy variant that has a 39.2 kWh Li-ion battery pack with a power output of 104 kW and a nominal voltage of 327 V. Its motor produces 100 kW (136 PS) of power and 395 Nm of torque.
The ARAI-certified range of the Indian-spec Hyundai Kona Electric is 452 km. The unit in the trip does 403 km and has 40 km range remaining, which gives a total range of 443, and that’s really close to the official figure.
Internationally, there’s an Extended variant that features a 64 kWh Li-ion battery pack with a power output of 170 kW and a nominal voltage of 356 V. Its motor generates 150 kW (204 PS) of power and 395 Nm of torque. Due to the higher price, Hyundai has chosen not to import this specification.
Earlier this month, a Hyundai Kona Electric Extended clocked 1,026 km on a single charge when testers set out on a hyper-miling challenge.
Five tips to improve Hyundai Kona Electric range:
- The driving battery pack uses too much electricity during heavy usage of air conditioner/heater. Set the temperature in the climate control system to 22 degrees. Various assessment tests have shown this setting to give a good balance of efficiency and comfort.
- Use the Driver Only or scheduled AC/heater function.
- Maintain specified tyre pressures.
- Avoid usage of some electronics when not required, like the central display for instance.
- Avoid mounting parts that can affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle negatively by leading to more drag.
In related news, Hyundai has teased the new Kona facelift, following which the new Kona Electric facelift will arrive in 2021.
