Last updated on April 8th, 2020 at 07:57 pm
Hyundai's all-electric car went on sale in the second half of 2019, but due to ‘significant customer demand' the South Korean automaker has announced that waiting times for its Kona Electric will be ‘significantly reduced'.
In Q1 2019, the waiting list was around 12 months, which was far too long to wait; as a result, and presumably due to customer shifting their focus to rival brands, the manufacturer decided to ramp up production at its European Czech-based plant and has also increased existing supply from its facility in Ulsan, South Korea. Now, it's looking like the wait is around 3-4 months – far better.
Ashley Andrew, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor UK, said: “The Hyundai Kona Electric has achieved outstanding success in the UK since its introduction, with demand for the model quickly outstripping supply. We have listened to our customers and are significantly ramping-up availability in order to cut delivery times, a move that we hope will encourage more people to consider a fully electric car.”
Hyundai's Kona Electric boasts an all-electric range of 278 miles and is powered by a front-mounted 150 kW electric motor. The crossover SUV features a distinct design which can be seen in the rest of the Kona family; it has a bubble-shaped front bumper and a recognisable rear boot.
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The EV sits up to five adults and boasts a 332-litre boot capacity. With the seats folded down that number increases to 1,116 litres; that's a little smaller than our favourite budget all-electric SUV, the MG ZS EV, which has 448 and 1,375 litres, respectively.
Inside, Hyundai has said to have improved the infotainment system with the addition of Hyundai Bluelink, which allows you to remotely connect to the vehicle using a smartphone. You can control the temperature of the cabin, find out the remaining charge and even gather information about your vehicle's tyre pressures. The feature also resides in the company's saloon-sized all-electric, the Ioniq. As a result, the Kona Electric now comes with a 10.25″ centre display and a new navigation system.
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The 2020 Kona Electric is now available to order across Hyundai's dealer network. It comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance package as standard. Still, with a starting price of £35,100, it's more expensive than the Kia e-Niro and the MG ZS EV, which start from £34,495 and £24,995, respectively.
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