This isnt journalist news or anything, but i hope my persepective may be interesting to some.
We just recieved our new Hyundai Kona EV last week.
The wife charged it at a Nrma charger for free in town while getting breakfast from a cafe, drove 266km (using 58% bat) and then I charged it again at the nrma charger, again for free, while we went to the pub for dinner.
266km with no fuel cost and ready for more.
Lets assume they stop the free charges or we cant be bothered to go to the fast charger.
Trickle charging at home during offpeak via 10A 240v costs 18c / kw so about $9.2 for an 80% charge (367km range) or about $6.68 for just that 266km trip.
The equivalent 266km trip in my hoon box GR Yaris would have cost 51 bucks of 98 octane petrol @ 1.95/L. For fun, a less comparable vehicle, my V8 LS1 converted nissan GQ SWB would have used over 90 bucks of 95 octane.
As for services
Yaris every 6 months $375 for basic service, oil, filter, checks, tyre rotation. Havent had a major yet.
Kona EV, once at 1500km to check everything and next service is in 2 years time and while i cant remember the price its less than half the yaris service.
As for the patrol, dont ask me about the service costs on that old girl, its traumatising.
How does it go?
Bloody well off the mark. That instant torque is something else. You NEED to experience it, i highly recommended any rev head to just TRY IT.
Flooring it in sport mode basically allows the thing to accelerate at the traction limit of the drive wheels, one side would start to slip and trac control seeminly diverts some power from that side to the other side and it goes back and forth trading turns with the slight wheel slip until like 60km/h. The motor response is instant in sport mode, when you move the accelerater you instantly feel it in the seat, even more pronounced than a naturally aspirated, rev happy motor (4age or 2jz for ex). Eco and normal drive modes smooth off the torque application which makes cruising and every day driving comfortable.
Id need a good, hard launch off the lights in the 170kw (at wheels) AWD Yaris to compete. Poor launch or gear change and I reacon the Kona could get ahead.
Mashing the right foot at speed, for say an overtake, and the yaris has it. The extra 25ish kw getting to the wheels and 500kg less weight helps it along, although you'll have a slight delay as boost builds up but that's usually ok on overtakes as you can mash as you peel out and boost comes on about the time you're far enough over to make the pass. The kona still gets up and goes though, overtaking grandad and his campa is a breeze even if the old dog speeds up through the overtaking lane.
Suspension wise the Kona feels very stable. Very little body roll considering weight and its not a low sports car, suspension isnt too soft or stiff. You do notice the weight a touch if you try hoon around. Its definitely not a sports car in the handling department, you're not gunna wanna fang it down a mountain pass, but you would fang it up one.
Finally, nice interior, very nice seats, good amount of storage space, lots of clever quality and ease of life features. Remote start A/C, scheduled start of A/C, scheduled charging to utilise off peak rates or peak solar time of your home, infotainment system goes well, SO QUIET TO DRIVE, and if I take it camping I can run my 12v electrical system off the car instead of taking a battery box or installing a dual bat system in the 4x4. The HV battery can just recharge the 12v battery at any time and has a camp/supply mode feature.
Was the EV's initial cost expensive? Yes
Will we recoup that initial cost through cheaper running costs and servicing? Yes
Do we have any buyers remorse or regret? ABSOLUTELY NOT
The revolution is here folks
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