The Kona Electric is presently the only zero-emissions vehicle that Hyundai assembles in India. The EV received a price list in July last year, and a price cut after the government made some GST revisions. By the end of October 2019, Hyundai claimed that it had received more than 300 bookings for the Kona Electric. That number is impressive, considering that the EV’s prices start at Rs 23.72 lakh (ex-showroom).

One of the India-made examples has helped the brand enter the Guinness Book of World Records – Highest Altitude reached in an electric car. In a Kona Electric, a team managed to drive to an altitude of 5,731 metres (~18,802 feet). The location was Sawula Pass in Tibet. No other electric vehicle has managed to reach as high as the Kona Electric. The previously held record was 5,715.28 metres (~18,751 feet). Both those numbers put some concrete to suppress range anxiety. That, as you must be aware, is one of the main reasons why customers in developing markets do not opt for an EV over a conventionally-powered car.

The Kona Electric became the first ARAI-certified long-range EV in India. Hyundai claims that the zero-emissions vehicle can travel up to 452 km on a single charge. That comes courtesy of a 39.2 kWh battery and an electric motor that produces 134bhp/395Nm. A single-speed unit takes care of transmission duties. Using an AC feed, the wait from zero to 100 per cent charge is approximately 6 hours and 10 minutes. However, it takes 57 minutes to charge from zero to 80 per cent when connected to a recommended DC fast charger.

In India, the Hyundai Kona Electric has no direct competition as of now. However, that will change later this month when MG Motor India introduces the ZS EV. Another e-SUV, the Tata Nexon EV, will launch before the calendar reads February 2020. That, however, will sit in a segment lower than the other two mentioned above.