Hyundai has confirmed the launch of its first EV in India next year.
According to the Times of India, the pure electric car will go on sale in the
first half of 2019. Although not formally acknowledged, the SUV in question is
the Hyundai Kona EV. Unveiled in March, the Kona electric will arrive as a CKD
with assembly at HMIL's facility in Tamil Nadu.
The report adds that market response to
the upcoming EV and Government policies will affect the production of EVs in
India in the long run. The company is hoping for a reduction in GST rates from
12% to 5% to and subsidies via the FAME scheme to give sales the required push.
Koo adds that development of charging infrastructure should also be another
area of focus.
The Hyundai Kona EV uses a 204
PS electric motor offered with two different battery packs - 39.2 kWh and 64
kWh. The smaller pack enables a driving range of 240 km, while latter increases
it to 390 km. Hyundai announced prices of the Kona EV in the RHD market of UK
recently. The full electric crossover starts from GBP 29,495 and tops out at GBP 36,295.
Hyundai is planning eight new products
in India between 2018 and 2020. So far, three launches are confirmed. Arriving
in the three months will be the Hyundai AH2 (new Hyundai Santro). HMIL will
follow it up with the introduction of a compact SUV based on the Hyundai
Carlino concept from the 2016 Auto Expo. It will precede the entry of the
Hyundai Kona electric.
