Hyundai Kona Electric makes it to Guinness World Records

Hyundai entered the EV race with the all-electric Kona, launched in July 2019 in India. Apart from the fact that the Hyundai Kona is the only EV that one can get in its segment, priced at Rs 23.71 lakh, ex-Delhi, the crossover has now achieved a historic milestone of entering the Guinness book of world records. The company took the Kona electric to an altitude of 5,731m at the Sawula Pass in Tibet. Previously, an EV to have reached a high altitude was Chinese automobile manufacture NIO's all-electric sport utility vehicle ES8 at 5,715.28 meters in September 2018.

With this achievement, Hyundai mentions that the all-electric Kona does prove to be a reliable electric vehicle that can be driven in such extreme conditions. And it is not just the bad roads but also the harsh weather conditions such as continuous snowfall, icy tarmacs and also freezing temperatures that the EV was subjected to. The company states that features like ESC ensured a stable driving experience of the Kona in such extreme conditions, also making it the first ever EV in India to reach such an high altitude. During the entire drive duration, the Kona electric was charged through the convenient portable chargers. The car was charged overnight with the standard portable charger provided along with the vehicle. Hyundai claims, no performance issues were found while climbing the peaks. While descending from peaks, the smart power regeneration system in the vehicle complimented the driving range.

Hyundai Kona charging point

The Hyundai Kona customers are provided with two chargers along with the car. Interestingly, Hyundai India has become one of the few automobile companies in India to offer a EV-to-EV charging support. Kona electric to Kona electric charging facility can be availed in case of an emergency. The company has a fleet of Kona EVs that can be accessed through  customer support or through mobile application. This facility is available only in select cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. Further, all the Hyundai dealerships selling and servicing Kona vehicles are equipped with  7.2 kW AC Charger for charging. We are not sure if these services are complimentary or a part of the AMC package.

Hyundai Kona

Hyundai Kona is powered by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) that produces 136PS of power and 395Nm of torque, that can propel the car from 0-100kmph in just 9.7sec claimed. The company believes that at a full charge, the Kona can deliver a mileage of 452km as claimed by ARAI. The battery pack in the motor is a lithium-ion polymer type with a capacity of 39.2kWh. Charging the SUV takes about 6 hours and 10 minutes from an AC source, and can charge from 0-80 per cent via DC charge at 50kW. The battery comes with a warranty of 8 years or 1.6 lakh km. We have already driven the Hyundai Kona, here are first impressions of it.