Less than 1% of Hyundai Kona Electric’s global sales from India

If you require evidence to believe that the demand for crossover EVs is here to stay, the success of the Kona Electric in the global stage is one. Hyundai Motor Company this week announced that the Kona Electric compact SUV passed the 100,000-unit sales milestone. As of June 30, 2020, the company has sold a total of 103,719 units of the Kona Electric worldwide, sales having commenced in March 2018. The Korean car’s volume has not been mostly domestic either as global sales account for more than three 75 per cent of the total sales. In March 2020, the Kona, with an improved range, entered production in Europe where the demand, despite the Coronavirus, remains strong. A refreshed 2021 Hyundai Kona sporting new looks and features is anticipated in late-2020.

This success comes partly down to the Kona electric’s class-leading driving range of 258 miles (415 km), it’s fast-charging capability, safety and a host of convenience features. Of course, this title is taken away by the VW ID.3 when it comes out in September, and Hyundai has an opportunity for reclamation with its next-generation electric car, the Hyundai 45, in early-2021.

Kona Electric has bagged a considerable number of awards around the world:

  • Top Gear Electric Awards named the model the Best Small Family Car, based on its performance during a 24-hour, 1,600 km European road trip.
  • In 2019, WardsAuto included Kona Electric on its ten best engines list.
  •  In 2018, Auto Express named it the Affordable Electric Car of the Year.
  • It also won the 2019 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Hyundai Kona demolishes misconceptions of Electric Cars in India

The Kona electric plays an essential part in the company’s long-term strategy, which focuses on making zero-emissions mobility a reality. In markets such as India, the Kona’s position is not one of a volume puller, but rebuilding the image of electric vehicles and busting myths around the range, reliability and suitability of electric cars. Team EVW estimates that the Indian market has contributed to less than 1 per cent of the worldwide tally, with sales below 500 units since the launch.

Also See: 800 bhp Hyundai Kona Electric to be ready for its new challenge in early-2021

Hyundai introduced the Kona in India in June 2019 as a CKD and it became the first long-range electric car in the market. In India, the Kona Electric is only available with the 39.2 kWh battery capacity that has been tuned to return a range of 452 km in the ARAI test. A few months into the launch, Hyundai started localizing some interior components to bring down the cost of the vehicle and offset hike in tariffs. The company has set a modest sales target of 500 units for 2020 and this projection may not be valid in the post-COVID scenario. It is priced at 23.75 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The company is developing a ‘mini’ version of the Kona that will emerge in 2022 to take on the Tata Nexon EV and the Mahindra eXUV300 (price: Rs 10-15 lakh). It will be manufactured in India with a high percentage of local parts to achieve the competitive price.