The 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric will only be available in California and a few other states, for now.
When I first drove the 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric back in October, two factors really endeared me to the car. One was the instantaneous torque – that’s always fun in any electric car. The other was the range. At 258 miles, I was able to drive the Kona Electric around the sprawling streets of Los Angeles without ever feeling the need to scramble for a charging station. It offers a range on par with its electric counterpart, and that’s great: but there’s been one sticking point. How much does it cost? Now, Hyundai has announced pricing for the all-electric Kona.
Pricing
At $36,450, the Kona Electric rings in slightly cheaper than the $37,495 Chevy Bolt. It also offers a similar level of equipment for the money. However, Hyundai has not announced pricing for anything other than the base model. The MSRP for the Limited and Ultimate trims will come later. Factor in the available $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs, and the Kona Electric comes in just under $30,000. Not bad value for a capable small crossover with good range.
All 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric models are built in the company’s Ulsan, South Korea plant alongside the standard Kona. However, there is one catch. At launch, Hyundai is only going to sell it in California. Beyond that, they’ll sell it “subsequently in the ZEV-focused states in the western and northeastern regions of the U.S. market.” Hyundai did originally tell us that the car would gradually roll out to other markets, but it’s not clear exactly when – or if – that will actually happen. As the Bolt and the Tesla Model 3 are available to order nationwide, it would make sense to sell the electric Kona in other markets in the future.
