ONE OF THE ENDURING complaints against electric vehicles is their unacceptably low range. A recent Hyundai demonstration goes a long way (pun intended!) to showing that this concern may soon be a thing of the past.
Over the course of a three-day range mission, three Kona pure electric small SUVs each travelled 1018.7, 1024.1 and 1026.0 kilometres, exceeding the goal of 1000km on a single battery charge. Each distance also represents a record in terms of 64kWh battery capacity, as the power consumption figures of 6.28, 6.25 and 6.24kWh per 100 km were well below the standard value of 14.7kWh per 100km determined by the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
“This mission has proven that our Kona Electric offers outstanding electric performance, efficiency and battery range,” said Michael Cole, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. “This lifestyle-oriented vehicle will continue to offer customers a range of sophisticated technology and an attractive design of a small SUV in addition to all the advantages of an environmentally friendly electric vehicle.”
The nearly 35-hour test took place at Lausitzring, a racetrack in northeast Germany. Dekra, a European vehicle inspection company that has operated at Lausitzring since 2017, monitored the test process and vehicles, recording 36 driver changes.
All vehicles used in the test were factory-spec and unmodified, equipped with standard Nexen N Fera SU1 low rolling resistance tires in the 215/55R17 size. Each vehicle’s air conditioning and entertainment systems remained off, with available power used solely for propulsion. Only the daytime running lights remained on to comply with the legal requirements for road traffic.
The drive teams – one from the renowned German trade magazine Auto Bild and two from Hyundai Motor Deutschland – recorded an average speed between 29 and 31km/h to reflect typical inner-city traffic speeds in Europe. On the third day, the vehicles managed to cover over 20km with only three percent residual capacity. At zero percent charge, the vehicles continued to drive for several hundred meters before running out of power and coming to a stop.
“With this test, the Kona Electric confirmed what many of our customers already know: it is a reliably efficient and eco-friendly lifestyle SUV that is practical for everyday use,” said Jürgen Keller, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor Deutschland GmbH. “Customers driving the Kona Electric or other Hyundai EVs can expect to drive long distances without recharging or feeling range anxiety.”