Four long range Korean electric cars coming in 2019!
Sister companies Hyundai and Kia have set a goal of becoming the second largest makers of eco-friendly cars by the year of 2020.
It’s a move that will see the Koreans deliver a number of new hybrids, plug-in hybrid cars and EV models in U.S. over the next few years.
It’s going to be a tough goal to reach, but they are off to a fast start, with four long-range electric vehicles in development, all of which are scheduled to hit the U.S. market by the end of 2019.
It is those 4 electric cars from Kia and Hyundai that we are going to focus on in this news article.
Electric cars to launch in US in 2019
- Kia Niro EV (coming to U.S. in 2019)
- Kia Soul EV (new generation model just launched in U.S.)
- Hyundai Ioniq EV (to receive facelift in mid 2019)
- Hyundai Kona EV (to be released in U.S. in January 2019)
2019 Hyundai Kona Electric SUV
Hyundai Motor America has just released first official details about the 2019 Kona EV.
The US-market Kona electric SUV price starts at $36,450, which is slightly less than its main rival, the Chevy Bolt.
For that price, consumers get a small electric SUV with a 64-kwh battery pack and a driving range of 258 miles on a single charge.
The Kona EV goes on sale in U.S. in January 2019.
2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV facelift
Hyundai Ioniq is unique in that it comes with a trio of different eco-friendly powertrains, the hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EV.
The currently available Ioniq EV comes with an official 128-mile range, and is the most efficient model in the electric car segment.
The Ioniq EV has only been on sale for about a year, but we have already heard of rumors that Hyundai has been working on some major upgrades to the car.
Latest rumors suggest that a larger battery is coming, which of course would mean an increase in the driving range.
There has been no official word on that new battery and the range that it would deliver, but the rumors are that the new battery would be in the 39-42 kWh ball park, with the new driving range set at close to 180 miles.
The second half of 2019 is when we can expect to see the new longer range Ioniq EV hitting the U.S. shores.
Kia Niro EV (upgraded, possible facelift)
We have written extensively about the Kia Niro here at theKEEA.com news blog, so most of you are probably already aware that it rides on the same platform as the above-mentioned Ioniq, giving it the option of multiple powertrains.
The hybrid and PHEV versions are already on the market, with the EV model set for release in 2019.
It stands to reason that since the Niro and Ioniq share a platform, they will also share similar electric drivetrain technology.
The battery pack in the Niro EV will be, however, slightly larger than in the Ioniq. The Niro electric will boast the same battery size as the Kona EV.
The all-new Niro EV is expected arrive to the Kia U.S. stores in the first half of 2019!
Kia Soul EV (next-generation model)
The Soul EV holds the distinction of being the longest running nameplate among Korean EV models, debuting back in 2015.
Production numbers come in around 5,000-10,000 units per year, so while it has not been a huge sales success, the Soul EV has proven that the Koreans can make great electric cars!
The technology used in the Soul EV is on a par with other compact electric models, but with a smaller battery, it comes up a little short in driving range.
The latest battery used for the 2018 model year went up to 30 kWh from 28, and while that did mean some extra range, it still falls short of the newer EV models released from Tesla, Chevy and Renault.
The Soul is almost at the end of its 5-year life cycle, which means a new generation will be rolled out in 2019.
The likeliest U.S. release date for the next-generation Kia Soul would be early 2019, with the electric Soul model coming shortly after that.
The 2020 version will ride on the same platform as the Hyundai Kona EV, which would mean space for a much larger battery.
The result of that would be a very large increase on the current driving range, which could well put the 2020 Kia Soul EV up around the 240 mile mark.
I hope Kia & Hyundai executives look at theses sites. It is not easy from their sites (English written) to forward any thoughts and ideas.
My point here is they both should aim higher. People, with extra money to spend, usually want fancier and bigger. And the competition there is a vulnerable looking Tesla Model X. That means a sleek 7-seat crossover Genesis, beating a 100 KWh battery, and joining in their super charger network. Alternately, a PHEV 7-seat crossover Stinger spin-off could be co-developed.
I do not count myself in this market. Many governments and mass media in the west will try to dupe us into EVs at huge costs when ICEs are cleaner than they’ve ever been before. People are aware of the risks. So, where is the outcry to ground the world’s jet airplanes and heavy industrial machines?
Please also provide connectivity and driver assist tech like ACC and LKA, for the european market. And, since IONITY obviously don’t support ChaDemo, CCS would be a must for Europe.