Range anxiety is still one of the biggest barriers to electric car ownership, but these models can all cover more than 300 miles on a charge – and some can go a lot farther than that…
Best 300-mile electric cars
Tempted by an electric car but think range might be an issue? Well, thanks to advances in technology, it really isn’t with many of the latest models. Right now, 33 cars in all shapes and sizes, from small SUVs to luxury saloons, offer a range of 300 miles or more, according to official tests. And some can even go beyond 400 miles.
We should point out that few electric cars can match their official ranges in real-world use; even the weather can affect performance. However, the cars on this list should still cover most longer trips without the need to pause for a battery top-up.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
As well as naming the models with the longest official ranges, we’ll include the results of our real-world range tests (where applicable). We’ll also highlight each car’s usable battery capacity and tell you how long it takes them to be charged from 10-80% at their peak charging rate. They are ranked in order of range, from lowest to highest.
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Crossover to be “upscaled” with new multi-powertrain platform based on learnings from Ioniq 5 and 6
The new second-generation Hyundai Kona has been “taken to the next level” through a focus on the electric version and learnings from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Hyundai Ioniq 6.
Already on sale in Korea and due to arrive in Europe this summer, the new Kona arrives just six years after the original. It will continue to be offered with petrol, hybrid and electric versions – but while the first-gen version was developed as an ICE car, the EV was the priority for the new model.
The EV accounted for around 40 per cent of first-gen Kona sales in Europe, and with the continent moving to electric cars that ratio will increase sharply in future. Hyundai design chief Sang-Yup Lee said the focus was on ‘upscaling’ the car in both size and quality.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
The Peugeot 2008 rival switches to a new multi-powertrain platform, and has grown substantially – Hyundai refers to it as being ‘upscaled’. At 4355mm the new Kona is 175m longer than its predecessor; it is also 25mm wider and 20mm higher, while the wheelbase has been stretched by 60mm. That makes it slightly smaller than the closely related Kia Niro EV, leaving the Bayon as the smallest SUV in Hyundai’s line-up.
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If manufacturers are truly serious about widening the appeal of electric vehicles, the market could use more Nissan LEAF and Hyundai Kona electrics. Remember, our current dependence on the automobile was built on the back of everyman’s Ford Model T and not the wealthy’s Cadillac.
Many of the makers committing themselves to a major shift toward electric vehicles are mostly luxury brands. And, as we’ve so far seen, volume manufacturers introducing electrics seem to be skewing their efforts toward a more well-heeled clientele. Given the higher costs of current electric vehicle technology, it’s understandable.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
Still, within recent launches of high-dollar electric cars, trucks and SUVs are echoes of the large, flashy cars with big fins and massive chrome bumpers that marked the end of the 1950s. It wasn’t until an imported air-cooled economy car called the Volkswagen Beetle with an ad tagline suggesting that we “Think Small” that affordability took center stage. Perhaps manufacturers need to take a step back and think small to provide electric alternatives for average car buyers.
The key to affordability is to get over the relentless push to increase range to 600 miles or more on a charge. Unlike a traditional car, where you can make a tank bigger at minimal costs (in fact, on gas cars it’s more a question of space than cost), increasing range from bigger batteries comes at a huge cost in electric vehicles.
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The Hyundai Kona Electric quickly became one of our favourite electric cars following its launch in 2018.
Sitting alongside the Kia e-Niro, Hyundai offered the Kona in various guises – with hybrid and combustions versions – a strategy that continues in this most recent version.
What the Kona offers is crossover charms with pure electric power – including a range that’s respectable and prices that are approachable.
Design
The design of the Kona Electric has been simplified slightly over the previous outing. Fundamentally, this is a facelift of the compact crossover, so it’s instantly recognisable as the Kona.
There’s a new front bumper, enclosing the area that previously had a covered grille. The grille remains on the hybrid and combustion version, but the Electric model now gets a better front design, looking a little more refined, a little more loved.
From the sides the looks are broadly the same, but there are some bodywork changes resulting in a slightly simpler look. Plastic wheel arches and other detailing has been removed from the Kona Electric, while also providing a point of distinction from the combustion engine models.
The result is a slightly cleaner look, while the regular gas-guzzling Kona looks a little more rugged with those plastic wheel arch protectors. If nothing else, it’s easy to spot the electric on the road now, thanks to the slight shift in styling.
There are some minor exterior differences between the trim levels offered – SE Connect, Premium, Ultimate – but that mostly amounts to how premium the lower section of the front bumper looks. As is often the way with Hyundai, there aren’t a whole world of options, instead different spec is dictated by those different trim levels.
That makes selecting your model easier: we suspect the most popular will be the Premium, which offers a choice of battery sizes, but still comes in at a price that qualifies for the UK’s Plug-in Car Grant, saving you £2500 off the larger 64kWh version. What you’re getting is a well equipped car for under £30K, with decent range too.
Minor interior updates
The interior of the Kona Electric hasn’t seen huge changes over the existing model – the largest noticeable difference being the move to a fully digital driver display.
The Kona is comfortable and roomy enough in the front, but the rear seats are a little more cramped. Put a tall driver in the front and you’ll be left with minimal legroom in the rear, so it’s really only then suitable for smaller children, but there is plenty of headroom, which saves it from feeling too cramped.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
The highest level trim gets the option for leather facings and lighter colours, while the lower trims have a black interior, which, if nothing else, won’t show up so much muck if you’re transporting a young family around – which many Konas will be.
On the Ultimate trim we tested, there are leather touch-points, but fairly wide use of harder plastics of various textures. As we said, this isn’t out of place given the price of the car – and for those who want something superior the Ioniq 5 is worth a look as an alternative. Although it’s easy to point to higher-priced cars with interiors that are obviously higher quality, it’s really hard to complain about the Kona at this price point.
Ultimate trim does bring some luxury, with seat heating and cooling for those front seats, however, with that cooling being rather more unique.
The boot is a little compact, offering 332 litres of space, although the rear seats will fold to increase the capacity if needed. For many, as a daily run-around, that’s plenty of space for the weekly shop, but broadly aligns with the Citroën ë-C4 and others around this price point. There’s a small storage tray under the floor of the boot, but not much space for anything else.
All in, it’s an interior that fits its purpose. So long as you can accept that the Kona is a pretty compact crossover, because it’s in the back seats that you’ll feel that the most.
Interior technology
One of the interior changes that we mentioned is the digital driver display. This replaces a display that had a single central dial and gives a lift to the driving experience, although it does seem to be sunken quite deep within the cowl. No matter, it’s clear enough with a left-hand speedo and right-hand power meter.
We like that Hyundai presents plenty of data on this display, like the average mileage you’re achieving from that battery, which will help you get a better picture of how you’re driving.
The centre section allows you to leaf through information, such as more data, so there’s a small degree of customisation too. Importantly, it’s all clear enough to understand, which can’t be said about all car displays. As you switch through drive modes it will change colour too, with red for Sport, of course, to make it a little more ‘racy’ looking.
The central display is flat, there’s no curving of the cabin towards the driver, with a run of buttons beneath it to take you to where you want to go – including a customisable button. Two dials mean it’s easy to work with, while also supporting touch, although the volume knob seems a stretch, better placed for the passenger than the driver. Fortunately, there are comprehensive controls on the steering wheel too.
Again there’s easy access to information on how efficiently you’re driving and where the nearest public charger is. Some of the graphics look a little dated, but with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, there’s plenty of flexibility – even if those smartphone-based systems don’t fill the entire screen.
There’s a little crossover into the driver’s display – you can see the audio you’re playing, for example – but otherwise the buttons remain pointing to Hyundai’s systems. That means that if you’re driving with Google Maps through Android Auto, for example, and you press the Maps button, it will revert to the Hyundai system, leaving you to dig through the system to find your way back to Android Auto.
Despite some of Hyundai’s graphics looking a little dated, there’s actually a lot of information that’s useful. You can drill into what’s using your charge, find your average consumption, plus more. You can also easily find navigation options to take you to an electric car charger, but like so many systems, it doesn’t have all the chargers and lists some that you can’t actually use, like in private car parks.
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Here’s the dream: an affordable electric vehicle that can go as far on a charged-up battery as your regular car can on a full tank of fuel. Believe it or not, that’s not far off – and the Hyundai Kona Electric proves it.
It’s an electric car that you can buy right now and is claimed to travel up to 300 miles between charges thanks to its 64kWh battery. That sort of distance used to be the preserve of much more expensive EV from Tesla and the like.
The Kona Electric isn’t just concerned with being an automotive Duracell Bunny and lasting forever, though – it’s also pretty nippy. Plus, if you’re more concerned about pricing than pace and stamina, it also offers a cheaper 39kWh battery option with a claimed range of up to 189 miles.
Not only does the Kona Electric have a broad appeal on paper, but it’s also bang on trend with its SUV styling. It’s based on – as you might have gathered – the Hyundai Kona, which is the company’s small SUV. But is it better than its competitors?
If you’re looking at an electric vehicle along the lines of a Kona Electric, you’ll probably also be considering the closely-related Kia e-Niro and Kia Soul EV, as well as the Volkswagen ID.3 and Peugeot e-2008. But rivals in this class also stretch to the likes of the Renault Zoe and Peugeot e-208.
Keep on reading this Hyundai Kona Electric review to find out all its secrets, including how far it will go in real-world driving conditions, how it handles, and what the interior quality is like.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
If you do decide you want to buy one, or indeed any other new car, do be sure to try our free New Car Buying service to see how much we could save you, without any haggling at all. Performance & drive
What it’s like to drive, and how quiet it is
The Hyundai Kona Electric’s 39kWh battery option, with 134bhp, offers lively performance, but our pick is the 64kWh version. That packs enough juice to give it 201bhp, which is quite a lot. Such a lot, in fact, that on a wet road the front wheels really struggle for traction. That requires you to be jolly delicate with your right foot to avoid the traction control light winking endlessly as the system tries to manage all the power.
Once you’re on the move, the Kona Electric builds speed almost as quickly as the Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch, with 0-60mph ticked off in around seven seconds (a couple of seconds quicker than the 39kWh version). As it’s electric, there’s no waiting for the engine revs to rise before maximum thrust is delivered – simply flex your right foot and the car sets off with the immediacy of one of Elon Musk’s space rockets.
The Kona Electric is quicker than an MG ZS EV, Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe, and just as quick as a Kia e-Niro and Volkswagen ID.3. But it’s not actually Tesla quick; a Model 3 would leave it for dust.
When it comes to electric cars, though, performance isn’t just about how quickly you can speed up. It’s also about how far you can travel. In our Real Range tests, a Kona Electric with the smaller 39kWh battery managed a real-world distance of 158 miles. That’s competitive, but the 64kWh version managed a mega 259 miles – more than any other car we’ve tested to date. It’s better by a few miles than the Kia e-Niro, which shares the same battery and motor as the Kona, and a lot better than the ZS EV, Leaf, Peugeot e-2008 and Zoe can manage. It even outperforms the more expensive Model 3.
When you lift off the accelerator, you feel the car slowing down quite quickly thanks to the regenerative braking – a system that allows the car to harvest otherwise wasted energy to replenish the battery. You can increase this braking effect if you wish via the paddles on the steering wheel, and you can even make it so strong that it will bring the car to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal.
In corners, the Kona Electric leans less markedly than the ZS EV or Leaf. In most other respects, though, it’s not great to drive spiritedly; the ID.3 and even the smaller e-208 are better handling cars that offer more accurate steering and have more grip to exploit if the mood takes you. The e-Niro is also sharper to drive than the Kona Electric.
Those rivals are also more comfortable. Whatever speed you’re doing, the Kona Electric jostles around over smaller road imperfections, although never to the point that it becomes truly annoying.
Naturally, being an electric car, the Hyundai Kona Electric is as peaceful as a cathedral at town speeds. Once you pick up the pace, road and wind noise start to increase, and by the time you’re cruising at 70mph there’s more of both than there is in the ID.3 or Peugeot e-208.
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As it turns out, not all electric cars are created equal
Electric cars are not absolute newcomers to the car industry anymore. Over the past five years or so, most carmakers have churned out at least one electric car with plans to release a handful of others over the coming decade or so. The charging infrastructure has grown, too.
While this is obviously good news, it also leaves us (and the customer) with quite a big pond of EVs to choose from. To add more to the confusion and indecision, electric cars come in all shapes and sizes, set in motion by just one electric motor, two, or even three, and, obviously, very different price tags. Long story short, picking your next electric car might leave you scratching the top of your head. We get it.
Fret not, though. We’ve been kindly invited by Romania’s leading car outlet, Automarket, to an eight-day, eight-car real-life experiment that set out to discover just how good (or bad) the latest electric cars are in actual traffic both in and outside the city. What followed was to be known as Electric Romania 2020, basically a workshop on wheels powered by Vitesco Technologies, joined by other partners such as Michelin. The experience helped us better digest and understand both the strengths and shortcomings of today’s electric car: range-wise but also in terms of comfort, dynamics, user friendliness, tech-savviness, and overall liveability.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S (Image: Porsche)
This is where I started feeling like doing my dissertation paper all over again. Firstly, Electric Romania was thought out and designed as a tour of Romania done with EVs.
In case you’re asking why eight days, well, the backbone of the tour consisted of eight cars – all launched in 2020 on the Romanian market – and 14 journalists and content creators that would sample the said cars.
Basically, you got to drive another car each day, and the end of which you had to fill in a form with various bits of information: distance travelled, total time of travel, charging times, how much battery you had left at the destination, how much electricity went into the battery during charging, average speed, and so on.
So, each electric car was put through its paces over eight days, but every time by a different driver with a completely different set of driving habits than the one before him and on a different route. This included highways, winding A- and B-roads through the mountainside and hillside, as well as flat, plain-splitting roads where the elevation didn’t change much.
As for the car lineup itself, this is it, in the exact order we drove them:
Porsche Taycan
Renault Zoe
Volkswagen ID.3
Audi e-tron Sportback
Hyundai Kona Electric
Kia e-Niro
Mini Cooper SE
Peugeot e-2008
From here on, each car’s battery pack, electric motor (or motors), range, other specs as well as driving impressions will be presented as it follows.
Porsche had to get its first electric car right. And good God, it did. The Taycan Turbo is not just a flurry of performance, but a smile magnet. Sitting behind the wheel in the handful of traffic jams that slowed us down is the best way to enjoy the most honest smiles I’ve been treated with in a luxury car. Some people see you in Mercedes-AMG S63 or in a Panamera Turbo and you can just read either envy or loathing on their faces. With the Taycan, it’s the complete opposite: candid, genuine smiles from folks of all ages, walking on the street or driving in the next lane.
When you’re not sitting in a traffic jam, the Taycan Turbo’s personality can flip from tame to psycho as quick as it can go from naught to 60 mph: three seconds flat with Launch Control, on its way to a top speed of 260 kph (162 mph). The acceleration is brutal. You can easily squeeze a lot of squeal out of the wider-than-life rear tires from a standstill and with a drop of bad luck, you can even fracture a vertebra before the electronic nannies kick in or you decide to lift off. Even at highway speeds, smashing the accelerator will make the Taycan squat then shoot straight up ahead. The back of your head never leaves the headrest. Even if it wants, it can’t. At this point, I’m scared just thinking of what the Turbo S can do.
For a car this wide and long, city cruising is surprisingly swift and easy, but it’s the outer roads that make your spine tingle inside the Taycan. When on, the Launch Control feature triggers the Overboost function that unlocks the Turbo’s 500 kilowatts (670 hp, 680 PS) and 850 Newton-meters (627 pound-feet) coming from two electric motors fed by the 83.7-kWh battery pack (that’s the net, usable capacity – gross capacity according to Porsche literature is 93.4 kWh).
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With a growing number of EVs to choose from, picking the right one for you is becoming increasingly difficult.
However, there are certain models that stand out from the rest – not least Hyundai’s Kona Electric. It has scooped a number of awards to back it up – including Which?’s ‘Product of the Year’, along with Top Gear’s ‘Best Small Family Car’ at its Electric Awards, and with updated for 2020 to its interior and enhanced connectivity features, it continues to be one of the best electric cars on sale.
Here’s why we reckon it’s a brilliant EV…
Long electric range
Despite many drivers only doing 20 or so miles a day, the range of an EV remains the key talking point – the longer being the better.
And if you want an electric car at an affordable price with a long range, the Kona Electric should be right at the top of your shortlist. Being able to travel for up to 278 miles with the 64kWh battery-equipped version gives this Hyundai a big trump card over many of its rivals. It also means that if you do long journeys, whether frequently or occasionally, you can do them with only occasional stops to charge.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
Long list of standard kit
If you like the idea of getting a lot for your money, you should without doubt consider the Kona Electric.
Even entry-level SE models come equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control, keyless entry and adaptive cruise control to name but a few features. Meanwhile top-spec versions get all manner of luxuries, such as heated seats throughout, a heated steering wheel and a head-up display.
It certainly means you won’t feel short-changed by this Hyundai.
Funky styling
Some manufacturers take a more reserved approach when it comes to their EV’s styling – the Nissan Leaf, for example, whereas others – like Hyundai – take a much bolder approach.
Based on the already funky-looking Kona, the Electric is available in a host of bright different colours, along with textured alloy wheels, stacked headlights and a smooth closed-off grille to make sure it stands out next to the regular petrol-powered versions.
Great performance
While the Kona Electric isn’t designed to be a sports car, you get some superb performance with it. Especially on top-spec versions with the larger electric motor producing 201bhp and 395Nm of torque, you can surge to 60mph in just 7.7 seconds.
However, because of the instantaneous nature of its performance – electric cars have no gearbox to contend with – and the fact all that torque is available immediately, it often feels much quicker than its figures suggest.
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As cities look to reduce air pollution, some are equipping their police forces with electric cars. The Hyundai Kona Electric is proving to be a popular choice, in Europe at least.
Police forces in Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom currently use Kona Electric patrol cars, Hyundai said earlier this month in a press release. The Ioniq and hydrogen fuel-cell Nexo are also used by police in Europe, the automaker said.
Hyundai Kona Electric (Image: Hyundai)
The Swiss canton of St. Gallen added Kona Electric police cars to its fleet last year. The crossover was the only electric vehicle that met the canton’s requirements for power, range, and cost, Hyundai said.
Kona Electric are also used by police in Valencia, Spain, according to Hyundai. In the U.K., Sussex Police and North Wales Police have one Kona Electric each in their fleets, while Hampshire Police has ordered nine, for delivery next month.
Additionally, three Netherlands police forces—in Amsterdam, East Netherlands, and Central Netherlands—are testing Kona Electrics for police use.
Dutch police officers have found the Kona Electric to be a great surveillance car, since suspects can’t hear it coming, according to Hyundai. The cars are certainly quieter than the diesel Opel Astra hatchbacks that have been the default choice for most European police forces over the last decade.
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EV range is a hot topic right now so we’ve listed the new electric cars with the longest range you can buy now…
The first question most people have when a new electric car comes out is how much range it has. ‘Range anxiety’ is a phrase often thrown around to describe the fear EV owners could face when driving their electric car with a level of remaining battery charge that may not get them to their destination. As a result, there’s a certain kudos attached to the electric cars with the longest range as well as a valuable competitive advantage manifested as electric car buyers are attracted to them. If you’re wondering which electric car has the longest range, you can find out below.
Manufacturers have quickly realised the importance of range to existing petrol or diesel car owners and now some electric cars can travel just as far on a single charge as an internal combustion engined (ICE) equivalent can manage on a full tank – all the while producing zero emissions at a cheaper running cost to the owner. The fact that most drivers will very rarely travel the kind of distances in a single day that would deplete a modern electric car’s battery is seen as less important than the need to reassure motorists considering the switch to the new technology.
There’s no doubt that the UK’s charging infrastructure still remains a stumbling block for electric cars and their owners. Charging points are increasing in number across the country and charging times are dropping but the chargers that there are are still often in use compounding the fact that recharging an EV is still noticeably slower than filling up a petrol or diesel vehicle.
With increasing investment from the Government and charging infrastructure providers to improve EV charging options coupled with the appeal of emission-free motoring and cheaper running costs than ICE vehicles, electric cars are more appealing than ever. Manufacturers too are in a race to develop enhanced batteries and electric car technology that will increase the range available in electric cars to the point that range anxiety will become a thing of the past.
Turn on, plug in and drop out of the fossil fuel race with the finest zero emissions passenger cars currently on offer
Traipse around one of the recent European motor shows and you’d be forgiven for thinking that most of the world’s most famous manufacturers don’t produce or sell an internal combustion engine any more.
The major players have spoken and the future of personal transportation looks distinctly battery powered, with Deloitte predicting worldwide sales of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) will rocket from 4 million in 2020 to 21 million by 2030, whereas sales of traditional internal combustion engines will fall off a cliff.
There are political and ethical arguments around for instance, lithium mining for EV batteries but this isn’t quite the right place to get into it.
Jaguar I-PACE Electric Car (Image: T. Larkum)
Zero emissions vehicles boast a number of benefits that can be enjoyed today. There are fewer moving parts, meaning lower maintenance costs, the tax breaks and Congestion Charge benefits are extremely generous, while those with regular short journeys could save bucket-loads of cash by turning their backs on the humble petrol station. And don’t be misled by those bemoaning the public charging network, because a quick scan of Zap Map reveals an abundance of locations to charge a vehicle – a number that is growing by the day.
On top of this, those who have already made the switch to electric often attest to the fact that installing a charging point at home often negates the need to use the public charging network. After all, when was the last time you drove more than 200-miles several times in a week?
