New Generation Kona EV

The Polestar 2 is another alternative in this price range, but a car and rwd. Twenty years ago I would have jumped for the dynamics of rwd but I've grown to appreciate the better traction and controllability of fwd in slippery conditions.

 

It will be able to take Polestar AWD, too. But in general PS stand on a higher price shelf than Kona, am I right?

 

The Kona Electric starts at only $500 Canadian less than the Polestar 2.

 

Hmm, in Europe:
PS2 standard range single motor starts at 50190 euro. Kona electric at 41990 euro. 50k level is about Ioniq 5 here.

 

Alex on Autos does a good overview in this video and is surprisingly enthusiastic about the possibility of adding a spare tire.

 

Hyundai doesn't want to make the Kona EV too good because then it would mess with sales of the Ioniq 5.

The heat pump is surely a welcome range-extending improvement. Slow charging in a car with a relatively small battery isn't a huge problem (says man with a MINI Cooper SE).

It's too bad there isn't an app for the Kona that lets owners disable the irritable bonging like the Bimmercode app can do for BMWs and MINIs. Bimmercode gave my MINI the AM radio BMW included, but then disabled with software.

 

I really like what they've done with the redesign. Fast charging is being pushed as such an importance that most people don't look beyond that. Most people won't drive beyond the distance of the battery's range more than a handful of times a year.
In my area, good studded winter tires are all that are needed since it's not all wheel drive.

 

Another feature I noticed on the Alex-on-Autos video is that there appears to be a seal on the charge cover port latch. I suspect that dirt and water were getting in and that had resulted in quite a few failures on the 2018-2023 Kona.

 

Another new-ish video, this one from a UK presenter who appears to be in the Czech Republic. Also a link to a full spec sheet for UK models that includes pricing. Note that we're back to 160 kW of motor power for the 65 kWh models.

 

Except of seal, that new charging port cover is heated as well.

 

This was posted on Facebook today, for what it’s worth…

 

What had caught my attention yesterday after watching the first video is that the pack voltage of around 450 VDC while charging at around 96% (disp) doesn't jive with the 2023+ Kia Niro (64.8 kWh) pack specifications which has a 96S-1P layout. The Kona is about 75 V higher, a significant difference.

96 cells in series x 4.16 V (fully charged) = 399 V, far below 450. Resistance losses due to the 40 A would not account for more than a few volts.

Something is amiss. Either the 2024+ Kona has a different cell configuration than the Niro or there is DC power conversion happening to limit the maximum current from the charger. I've looked but can't find the spec for the new Kona's battery layout.

 

According to FastNED the 2023+ Niro charging speed peaks at 82 kW while we know the 2024+ Kona can hit around 100. This must explain why the Kona took a year longer to develop. I'm trying to locate a photo of the Kona's battery pack label.

 

I've been going over the newly released specs for the Canadian Kona EV 2024 and it appears that it does not include the VtoL option. Can anybody confirm or deny?

 

Newly released as in the Hyundai website just listed them and opened the waitlist on Friday. I didn't see it mentioned there at all.

*The site you link to is U.S. specs. I guess there are differences. I notice they offer Yellow paint and the tires are 19" vs 17" in Canada.

* Seems a bit odd given that the Kia not only includes it but features it.