The Hyundai Kona has been slated to gain a
fully-electric version, and here the battery-powered variant of the Korean
automaker’s new B-segment SUV has been spotted undergoing trials in public.
An earlier Autocar report stated that Hyundai is
aiming to give the Kona EV a battery-only range of slightly less than 400 km,
and when it reaches production the all-electric Kona could adopt the EV
architecture from its electrified stablemate, the Ioniq.
From what can be seen despite the camouflage, the
overall Kona silhouette remains, with detail changes for the EV-specific
application, due to significantly reduced air intake requirements. As depicted
here, the front is also where the charging port is located, within the front
grille.
The Kona’s full safety kit complement can be
expected here too, including the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, which uses
a front camera and radar for autonomous braking when required, along with Lane
Keeping Assist, High Beam Assist and Driver Attention Warning, plus Blind-Spot
Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collison Warning.
Though the inside of the test mule hasn’t been
sighted just yet, the Hyundai Kona EV can be expected to have the latest
iteration of interior appointments, possibly including the Kona’s infotainment
setup with support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the Qi
wireless inductive charging pad for mobile devices which is optional in the
Kona.
Cr : Paultan