2024 Hyundai Kona Electric debuts in North America with more range and style
The new 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric debuted Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show. According to Hyundai’s estimates, the small electric SUV will feature up to 260 miles of range with advanced safety and convenience features.
Hyundai first unveiled the Kona electric model in 2018, and it quickly caught on with the public and media.
When it arrived in North America, it featured a best-in-class (258 miles) range at an attractive price of under $40,000. However, with new EVs entering the market since, like the Chevy Bolt EUV with 247 miles of range and the Tesla Model Y with over 300 miles of range, the small SUV lost ground.
Despite a 2022 refresh including a new front fascia and a more minimalist, aerodynamic grille designed to jump-start sales again, Hyundai took it a step further this year, leaning into a new “EV-led” design for the 2024 model year.
Breaking away from conventional ICE to EV development, Hyundai led with an EV-first approach, resulting in a boldly rugged exterior design.
Hyundai enhanced the aerodynamics further with a 0.27 drag coefficient from a newly designed sleek nose and tailgate.
To add to the electric-first design, the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric includes a seamless horizon lamp highlighting the front end with added pixel graphics.
On the inside, Hyundai boasts a larger “living space,” including a floating C-pad with dual 12.3-inch panoramic display screens. The front seats are 30% slimmer to maximize rear passenger legroom.
After releasing details for Europe and other global markets in March, we are finally learning what we can expect in the US and Canada.
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric specs and features
Hyundai released the 2024 Kona Electric specs for North America at the NY International Auto Show with an estimated range of up to 260 miles.
The Kona EV comes in two versions. The standard version has a 48.6 kWh battery with 133 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque. (The range is not yet confirmed.) The longer 260-mile range model uses a 64.8 kWh battery with 201 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque.
According to Hyundai’s tests, with 400V fast charge capability, the electric SUV can be recharged from 10% to 80% in around 43 minutes.
In addition, the Hyundai’s small electric SUV comes loaded with active grille shutters, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities, i-PEDAL driving mode, and Smart Regenerative System that can adjust regeneration based on real-time traffic conditions.
José Muñoz, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor North America said:
The new Kona Electric represents the next step forward in eco-friendly mobility solutions, a key model in Hyundai’s rapid transition to clean mobility and progress for humanity.
According to Hyundai, the Kona Electric will be available at US dealerships later this fall for delivery next year.
Electrek’s Take
Personally, I’m a huge fan of the upgraded design. The EV-led style gives it a more modern, aerodynamic look for the new age of electric vehicles.
My only complaint is that Hyundai still hasn’t changed the placement of the charger port door – right on the front. Other than that, well done with the redesign, Hyundai.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Slate Auto, a new EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has poached a key Tesla manufacturing leader to build its electric pickup truck factory in Indiana.
Napoleon Reyes is a US Marine from Indiana who got a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue after leaving the force.
He then worked a few years at Subaru and Wabash before joining Tesla’s manufacturing team at the Fremont Factory in 2020.
There, he became part of the Model Y production ramp and was quickly promoted to lead the Model Y General Assembly in Fremont in 2022.
Reyes led Model Y GA, one of the most critical parts of vehicle manufacturing, for more than a year before being promoted again to lead new pilot processes at the factory.
Most recently, he led the launch of the general assembly line for the Model Y refresh.
The new engineering manager announced this week that he is leaving Tesla to join Slate:
A bit late on the post but after nearly 5 years working at Tesla in Fremont, I made the difficult decision to leave the Company and move closer to home with my family. It was an incredible experience being part of multiple line expansions and multiple Model Y program launches. Leading and managing the Model Y Refresh launch for GA in Fremont this year tested me professionally however we ultimately succeeded due to our amazing cross functional team collaboration. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with such great people, and I will forever be proud and thankful for everything we accomplished together.
I will be taking on a new role as Senior Manager, Plant Vehicle Engineering at Slate Auto in Warsaw, In.
Slate emerged from stealth mode earlier this year to unveil a new type of electric pickup truck featuring modular customization and an affordable price.
The company raised over $700 million through two rounds of investments from several different investors, including Jeff Bezos. It is currently raising more, which basically guarantees that it will be able to reach production.
The startup acquired a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana. It is currently converting to manufacture its electric pickup with a team from legacy automakers and also several former engineers and leaders from Tesla.
Rich Schmidt, an early Tesla manufacturing director, is the head of manufacturing.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Genesis is preparing to shake things up with its most luxurious SUV yet, the GV90. Thanks to a new patent filing, we are getting a detailed look at how its Rolls-Royce-style coach doors will work.
New patent reveals Genesis GV90 coach door system
When Genesis first unveiled the full-size SUV at the NY Auto Show last March, it wasn’t the stunning design or advanced tech that caught everyone’s attention. It was the coach doors.
Although we were worried it wouldn’t make it to the production model, like many concepts, the Genesis GV90 will be offered with coach doors.
The ultra-luxe electric SUV was first caught with coach doors earlier this year on a car carrier in South Korea. Just last month, the GV90 was spotted in California with a hinge at the rear to open the coach doors.
After several new patents were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for new door latching devices, we are getting a sneak peek at how they are expected to work.
The patents, titled “Cinching Device For Door Latches in Vehicle,” and “Door Latch Device for Vehicles,” give a pretty detailed explanation of how the Genesis GV90’s coach doors will operate. The “Door Latch Device” uses a door striker on the lower side of the door, which is opened or closed by a hinge unit.
Unlike traditional doors, which use the B-pillar for support, the device is attached directly to the door itself, allowing for hinge-like movement.
The cinching device works in a similar way. It’s also attached to the door and part of the vehicle. However, unlike most of its kind, Genesis found a way to use a single cinching device to control multiple units. Again, the device is used for B-pillarless doors that swing open.
Genesis already said that B-pillarless coach doors are now feasible in production vehicles. The patent reveals a glimpse into how the luxury automaker could make it a reality.
Although the Genesis GV90 is expected to be offered with coach doors, they will likely not be standard. Other variants, with traditional door handles, have also been spotted testing in the US and South Korea.
Genesis is expected to launch the GV90 in mid-2026. It will be built at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. The flagship Genesis SUV is scheduled to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which the company said will “provide 50% improvement in driving range.” It will also be loaded with the latest technology, software, connectivity, and Level 3 or higher autonomous driving capabilities.
Source: USPTO
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Environment
Podcast: Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the launch of the Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment3 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike