![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2019\/02\/11\/PDTN\/c0497076-e522-4d08-b1aa-f265b045f6e9-konaEV_fr3-4.JPG?width=540&height=&fit=bounds&auto=webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>I have been to Kona,\u00a0the beautiful western region of Hawaii\u2019s big island from which the Hyundai Kona electric SUV got its name.<\/p>\n
Kona\u2019s sandy beaches, palm trees\u00a0and temperate climate contrast with the frigid Detroit January snow globe in which I first tested the cute new ute.<\/p>\n
The Hyundai EV\u2019s 258-mile battery range might have been calculated in the 80-degree paradise where cars cruise the sun-kissed coast, popping into the Kona Commons Shopping Center charging station to top off on electrons while browsing the local Target. If it had been calculated on my snow-caked commutes around Metro Detroit\u2019s winter tundra desperately seeking a charging station, the figures would have been more modest.<\/p>\n
Like half.<\/p>\n
Which is a shame because I really, really like EVs like the Kona. The Hyundai is a direct competitor to the Chevy Bolt, the hatchback that beat the Tesla Model 3 to market as the first electric to boast 200-plus miles of range. Like the Tesla and Bolt, the Hyundai\u2019s inherent physics make for a fun, different daily driver.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0its batteries under the floor (Hyundai\u2019s clever architecture can accommodate gas or electric drivetrains without altering interior space), the Kona\u2019s low center of gravity offers excellent handling despite its taller sport-utility stature. And the Kona copies the Bolt\u2019s clever regenerative paddle feature \u2014 steering-wheel-mounted paddles that use the electric motor to brake and recharge the battery.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s no Model 3 \u2014 the Tesla sedan\u2019s rear-wheel-drive layout puts it on par with the best German luxe athletes. But the Bolt and Kona front-wheel-drive platforms offer better all-weather potential.<\/p>\n
Which is why EV\u2019s battery Achilles heel is so maddening.<\/p>\n
With temps in the low teens on the last Saturday of the Detroit auto show, I aimed my $44,650 Kona Ultimate model downtown. The robust 64-kWh battery pack stores\u00a0about 75 percent of the energy of my $57,500 Model 3. But it still packs an impressive 290 pound-feet of torque so I could nail the throttle for quick passes on the Lodge.<\/p>\n
Stoplight acceleration is similarly instantaneous. The front tires chirping on the cold pavement for a healthy 6.4-second zero-60 dash (a 10th of a second quicker than the Bolt).<\/p>\n
Toggling the regen paddle as well as using the Eco drive-mode setting for maximum regeneration, I never touched the brake pedal on the trip downtown. I told you EVs are different.<\/p>\n
I returned after two hours having gained 45 miles of range on the 240-volt Level 2 charger. That\u2019s a lot of time for so\u00a0little range. Especially in Detroit\u2019s cold.<\/p>\n
My 28-mile trip home in 20-degree weather sucked 56 miles of range out of the Kona\u2019s battery. That translates to a total battery range of just 129 miles, not the 258 in Hawaii\u2019s climate (Car and Driver got 160 miles in their December test). And it\u2019s a long way from the 360-mile range of the gas-powered, all-wheel drive, 1.6-liter turbo-4 Kona.<\/p>\n
Which is why most folks will buy the more affordable, $29,775 gas Kona Ultimate ($15,000 cheaper than the Kona EV Ultimate) I tested last year. And it’s why the Kona EV is only on sale in nine states that mandate zero-emission vehicles (the closest ZEV state\u00a0to Michigan is New York). If you want it here, you\u2019ll have to special-order.<\/p>\n
But, if …<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0you have a second gasoline-powered car for out-of-town trips to grandma\u2019s house, and
\n2.\u00a0you just need an EV for Metro Detroit commuting, and
\n3.\u00a0you are willing to invest in a 240-volt charger for your garage<\/p>\n
… then the Kona EV might just be the car for you. At a base price of $37,495 (without the leather and safety-assist frills of the Ultimate trim) it fills the space promised by the mythical\u00a0$35,000 Tesla Model 3.<\/p>\n
And, like the Model 3, it looks cool \u2014 cooler than its geeky, gas-powered sibling. The EV sheds much of the excessive ornamentation (not to mention unnecessary grille to feed the gas-engine air) of the standard Kona for a simpler wardrobe. The grille is replaced by barely noticeable chicken feet that help disguise the front charging plug door. And the cladding has been removed from the mid-face headlights.<\/p>\n
The result is the upper running lights \u2014 connected by a thin chrome strip \u2014 dominate the face like a Tesla Model X SUV.<\/p>\n
Add aero wheels and the Kona EV is a looker,\u00a0even when buried under six inches of snow. I grunted into the\u00a0blizzard, toggling on the Kona EV\u2019s welcome heated steering wheel and heated seats. Like the Bolt, the Kona is well-appointed inside, including the latest electronic goo-gaws like Apple CarPlay and an e-shifter that opens up a nice sub-console storage pocket.<\/p>\n
The EV is limited to front-wheel drive, which puts it at a disadvantage to much cheaper subcompact utes (the gas Kona, Chevy Trax, Ford Ecosport, etc.) as well as bigger, comparably priced compact luxury utes like the Acura MDX or Cadillac XT4.<\/p>\n
Managing 290-pound feet of torque through the front wheels on a zero-60 run is fun. But\u00a0in snow, it\u2019s diabolical as the Kona EV\u2019s traction-control system struggled to manage grip.<\/p>\n
On hills, traction-control would starve power, forcing me to flick off traction-control altogether and claw my way to speed,\u00a0the front tires flinging snow like a dog digging for a bone. Ah, my kingdom\u00a0for all-wheel drive.<\/p>\n
All this churning about in snowy, 21-degree conditions continued to burn nearly two miles of battery range for every mile traveled (not to mention about 10 miles in vampire losses overnight in the cold).<\/p>\n
Like other EVs, Kona is a niche product for enthusiasts looking for something different \u2014 one-pedal-driving, drive-by-paddle, spartan design \u2014 that never has to visit a gas station.<\/p>\n
But its optimal performance would be realized by someone living in Kona, Hawaii. Which is where all us freezing Detroiters would like to live\u00a0about now.<\/p>\n
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch \u201cCar Radio with Henry Payne\u201d from noon-2 p.m. Saturdays on 910 AM Superstation.<\/em><\/p>\n 2019 Hyundai Kona EV<\/strong><\/p>\n Vehicle type: Front-motor, front-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV<\/p>\n Price: $37,495 base, including $1,045\u00a0<\/strong>destination fee ($45,695 Ultimate model as tested)<\/p>\n Powerplant: AC motor with 64-kWh lithium-ion\u00a0battery pack<\/p>\n Power: 201 horsepower; 290 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n Transmission: One-speed\u00a0direct drive<\/p>\n Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.4 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed: 110 mph<\/p>\n Weight: 3,767 pounds<\/p>\n Fuel economy: 258-mile range (129 miles\u00a0observed in polar vortex)<\/p>\n Report card<\/p>\n Highs: Snazzy looks; all-season utility<\/p>\n Lows: Pricey for a subcompact ute; range plummets in cold temps<\/p>\n Overall: 3\u00a0stars<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I have been to Kona,\u00a0the beautiful western region of Hawaii\u2019s big island from which the Hyundai Kona electric SUV got its name. Kona\u2019s sandy beaches, palm trees\u00a0and temperate climate contrast with the frigid Detroit January snow globe in which I first tested the cute new ute. The Hyundai EV\u2019s 258-mile battery range might have been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23454"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23454\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}