The news may not surprise some, but Hyundai India has discontinued sales of the Kona Electric SUV. The Korean automaker launched the Kona in 2019, and it was available in India for nearly five years. Notably, the electric SUV was Hyundai’s first all-electric vehicle in India.
Since the Kona is no longer available, Hyundai’s only all-electric model in India is the Ioniq 5. And now, the Korean brand plans to bring more electric vehicles to India despite this change.
Hyundai hasn’t officially explained why they stopped selling the Kona, but it may be part of their strategy. Also, they might be making room for the Creta EV that will come out in 2025.
About Kona Electric in India
The Kona was unveiled in 2017 and sold worldwide before making an entry in India. When launched, it was one of the first electric cars from a well-established car company in the country.
Originally, the car cost around Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom). However, Hyundai decided to lower the price by nearly Rs 2 lakh. Unfortunately for them, other electric SUVs like the Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV, and Mahindra XUV400 became available. That made Hyundai’s offering more expensive and less popular in comparison.
If we talk about powertrain, the Kona Electric used a 39.2kWh lithium-ion battery. It generated 136 hp and 395Nm of torque on its front wheels. Also, the setup allowed the car to travel up to 452 km on one full charge, as per ARAI ratings.
Over 59 months of availability in India, Hyundai sold 2,329 units of the Kona Electric, averaging about 39 cars sold each month.
The Creta EV Expectations
Hyundai will release the new Kona Electric in countries like Indonesia, but there’s no news about it coming to India. However, the Korean automaker intends to introduce the Creta EV in India, which should be available by January 2025.
The Creta EV, seen during testing, will share similarities with the Kona Electric in terms of its motor, battery, and certain interior features. Also, it will look similar to its ICE version, with a few specific design elements for EV and an updated interior.
Hyundai has announced plans to introduce six new battery-powered vehicles in India by 2028. One of these vehicles, the Ioniq 5 crossover, is already available for sale in India.
Hyundai Group is likely to use its dedicated E-GMP architecture for at least two EVs. Meanwhile, they might base the other three EVs on a modified version of Hyundai’s ICE vehicle platforms.
Conclusion
Unlike the Kona EV, Hyundai will launch the Creta EV at a lower price, with more locally sourced components, directly targeting its competitors. Moreover, new models like the Tata Curvv EV and Maruti eVX will enter the midsize electric SUV market next year. Interestingly, all of them will aim for a similar price range.
