Hyundai UK Reduces Waiting Times for 2020 Hyundai Kona EV

Don’t you just love it when a company goes out of its way to ensure your order arrives safe and on time? Hyundai UK certainly understands this, and as a response to the huge demand for their 2020 Kona Electric model, has drastically cut the waiting time for the vehicle’s buyers in the region.

Hyundai managed the feat—a near impossibility for some car manufacturers— by increasing the existing supply from its manufacturing facility in Ulsan, South Korea, as well as the introduction of production in its European plant in Czechoslovakia, Hyundai Czech Republic.

Hyundai had to cut back on the supply of their all-electric hatch in 2019 due to a strong clamor from the car buying public, and the company is making sure it doesn’t happen again.

All of the UK’s allocation of Kona Electrics sold out in the first quarter of last year, compelling additional customers to wait for a year or more for their orders to arrive.

Hyundai’s sister company, Kia, also suffered similar supply problems with their electrified Niro line, when the company sold over half a million vehicles in Europe for the first time.

“The Hyundai Kona Electric has achieved outstanding success in the UK since its introduction, with demand for the model quickly outstripping supply,” said Ashley Andrew, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor UK. “We have listened to our customers and are significantly ramping-up availability in order to cut delivery times, a move that we hope will encourage more people to consider a fully electric car.”

The all-electric version of the Kona uses a 64kWh Lithium-ion battery and an electric motor driving the front wheels, good for 201 hp and 393 Nm. It has 415 kms of range on a single full charge and achieves some of the longest driving lengths of any electric car available in the UK.

Aside from an all-electric model, the Kona also comes in hybrid (PHEV) form, which offers buyers the benefits of electrification by combining a 1.6-liter, 104-hp direct-injection gas four-cylinder with 43-hp electric motor.

The Kona Electric enjoys a mild refresh for 2020, with new connectivity features now appearing standard across all trims, starting with Hyundai Bluelink, and a new navigation system with 10.25-inch touchscreen display.

The all-electric Hyundai Kona available locally—a 2019 model—sells for PHP 2,368,000.

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