EV news: Tesla now 1 second faster, Hyundai has a secret EV with 242-mile range

Tesla Model S Tesla Model X
[photo: Tesla]

Tesla Model X and S Get Faster

Buried in today’s news from Tesla regarding updates to the company’s vehicles this month was this nugget: an automatic software upgrade instantly made the Model S sedan and Model X crossover EV’s one second faster from 0-60. Here’s the short, but sweet notice below:

Model S and Model X are the quickest and safest cars in their class and now include new standard features at no additional cost. Smart Air Suspension provides better handling, efficiency and ride comfort with automatic location-based vehicle height adjustments. In addition, new Model S and Model X 75 kWh vehicles received an over-the-air software update and now have improved performance, with the ability to accelerate from zero to 60 mph one second faster. We are also offering a new cream interior color.

 

Hyundai Has a 242-Mile Range Kona EV on sale in 2018? Who Knew?

Hyundai Kona
The Hyundai Kona will come as an EV in early 2018. [photo: Hyundai]
A Hyundai press release hyping its hydrogen fuel cell crossover was supposed to be the big news. But then we spotted an eye-popping announcement deeper in the fine print:

While Hyundai Motor continues to develop its leadership of the electric vehicle market with its current IONIQ model, the company also aims to establish a lineup ranging from small EVs to large and luxurious Genesis-brand models. Hyundai Motor’s electric vehicle development will take place in multiple phases:

  • Launch of EV version of the Kona compact SUV, with range of 390km (242 miles) in first half of 2018

  • Launch of Genesis EV model in 2021

  • Launch of long-range EV, with 500km (310 miles) range after 2021

We’ll have to wait to see how competitive Hyundai is on price with its EV Kona. At least for now, the company doesn’t need to sweat running out of Federal tax credits like Tesla will soon. Unless the politicians in D.C. change the allotment of credits.