If you’re hunting a city‑friendly EV that won’t let you down on a long drive, the new Kona Electric might be the answer. The car comes with a 136‑hp, 290‑Nm electric motor, a 60‑kWh battery, and a 452‑km range under the Indian Modified Test Cycle. It sits at ₹20.49 lakh, just a touch above the MG ZS EV but a notch above the Tata Nexon EV.
The real draw is the software layer. Hyundai’s U‑SPACE platform stitches together a 10‑inch infotainment screen, an AI‑powered voice assistant, and a cloud‑connected navigation system that learns your routes and preferences. Over‑the‑air updates mean the car can get a new feature or a glitch fix without a trip to the service centre, keeping the vehicle fresh for the life of the battery.
On the segment radar, the Kona Electric stands toe‑to‑toe with the MG ZS EV’s 419‑km range but offers more cabin space – a boot of 12.4 cu ft versus MG’s 10.4 cu ft. Tata’s Nexon EV, priced at ₹14.99 lakh, is still a cheaper option but lags in connectivity and software polish, especially in the AI assistant arena.
Policy‑wise, the 2025 EV mandate is tightening the net, and incentives like the FAME‑II scheme are cutting import duties on EV components. Hyundai has leveraged this to keep the price competitive while still delivering a feature‑rich package, a strategy that could drive market share growth in the next few years.
The Kona Electric is slated for a 2026 launch, with initial deliveries expected in Delhi‑NCR and Mumbai by the fourth quarter. Buyers can look forward to a pre‑order window in early 2025, with a factory‑to‑door timeline of 12–14 weeks once the order is confirmed.