Hyundai Kona’s running costs will be less than Re. 1 per kilometer. A regular petrol car has running costs of about Rs. 6 per kilometer.
Hyundai just launched the Kona electric SUV in India a couple of days ago and it has been priced at Rs. 25.3 lakhs, ex-showroom. The Kona is the first electric SUV of the country and with the coming of EVs, there’s a fundamental change in the concept of an automobile and how we drive them. Hyundai claims that while the Kona itself may be expensive, running costs of it would be considerably low.
At the end of the day, that is why you would be buying an EV for – lesser running costs than a conventional petrol/diesel car. Also, this would particularly appeal to Indian customer, especially for a segment that is so new. Hyundai claims that the running cost of the Kona is 1/5th of that of a Hyundai Creta petrol. They say that the Kona has 80% lesser running costs than a conventional petrol car and it has lesser maintenance cost too.
At the launch event, in a product presentation by the company, Hyundai claims that the Kona will cost less than Re. 1 per kilometer. Conversely, a conventional petrol car has running costs of about Rs. 6 per kilometer. And as far as maintenance is concerned, well the Kona being an electric car with zero emissions, it seems to have zero maintenance cost as well.
The Kona has an electric motor and a battery. There are no moving parts like in a conventional ICE engine that would be subject to wear and tear over time. It does not have spark plugs, valves or drive belts or even fluids that you would require in a regular engine. Maintenance of such parts are comparatively high for an ICE engine. Further more, Hyundai offer lucrative warranty services on the Kona for 3 years and unlimited kilometers, along with a warranty for 8 years and upto 160,000 km for its high voltage battery.
Also Read : Hyundai Kona Launched In India; First Electric SUV In The Country
While you may be convinced about the low running costs, charging the vehicle still remains a major concern. Charging infrastructure is still not in place in the country and Hyundai has given that a though as well. While the government takes steps to set up charging infrastructure, Hyundai will provide Kona buyers with two chargers along with the car – a portable charger and an AC Wall Box Charger.
Also Read : What Other SUVs Come In The Price Range Of A Hyundai Kona – Competition Check!
You can plug the portable charger in any regular 3 Pin 15 Amp socket to charge the vehicle. It would take about three hours to give you a driving range of 50 km, enough for your daily drives. Hyundai will also install an AC Wall Box Charger at your house which can top-up the vehicle for a driving range of 50 km in less than one hour.
