Dingbatt: Still a 'Lotto' car I'm afraid. Would love an E-Niro but just can't justify the money. Come on James, where's the incentives?
And until that changes,pretty much the bulk of the EV effort will be 2nd hand leafs....
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Dingbatt: Still a 'Lotto' car I'm afraid. Would love an E-Niro but just can't justify the money. Come on James, where's the incentives?
Too true...that's what all my friends are buying OR looking at buying.
They are two-car families, mind you, so can rely on a petrol car to go further if they need to.
wellygary:Dingbatt: Still a 'Lotto' car I'm afraid. Would love an E-Niro but just can't justify the money. Come on James, where's the incentives?
And until that changes,pretty much the bulk of the EV effort will be 2nd hand leafs....
I talked recently to Hyundai about the Kona Elite EV and they said that if I ordered one now, if I was lucky, I might have it delivered by the end of the year!
So, the supply for NZ buyers hasn't improved at all since last year, in fact, it seems to be an even longer waiting time.
This situation doesn't help the uptake of EVs in New Zealand, it seems to be a painfully slow business which is due to the high demand in Europe and elsewhere. I understand that NZ is a very small market for Hyundai, but it's a pity that the prices for EVs are so high here and that Government incentives aren't eventuating.
Yeah production has been going south this year:
paulchinnz:
Yeah production has been going south this year:
Thanks, that's a very interesting situation, I wonder what has caused the drop-off in production?
Apparently it's lack of batteries. Same battery is going in the Kia Niro EV, and also the new Soul EV.
Total Kona registations in NZ at the end of March were 168,
2018 Q3 saw 37 sales, 69 in Q4
Q1 2019 saw an additional 62
Total = petrol + EV?
justin5:
Too true...that's what all my friends are buying OR looking at buying.
They are two-car families, mind you, so can rely on a petrol car to go further if they need to.
wellygary:Dingbatt: Still a 'Lotto' car I'm afraid. Would love an E-Niro but just can't justify the money. Come on James, where's the incentives?
And until that changes,pretty much the bulk of the EV effort will be 2nd hand leafs....
So how's your Kona Elite going Justin, is it doing everything you expected of it? Would you recommend a "non-elite" model or the forthcoming lower range Kona EV model?
frednz:
So how's your Kona Elite going Justin, is it doing everything you expected of it? Would you recommend a "non-elite" model or the forthcoming lower range Kona EV model?
My Kona Elite is going great, frednz.
I've done two return trips from Auckland to Napier in it since delivery in November...both trips have been easy and fun, though I have done brief 15 minute charging top-ups to ensure I can make the 409km trip. With the hilly terrain and wanting/needing to drive at "normal" car speeds (100km/h and 110km/h on the Waikato Expressway where legal), I don't think I could make the trip on one charge (despite claims of 400+km range).
Having said that, though, on city roads and around-town driving I am quite sure my Kona Elite will do the claimed range easily.
The "non-Elite" Kona has so much of what my Elite has, so I'd definitely recommend buying one if you don't need the flasher stereo with bigger screen, heads-up display and ventilated seats - all luxuries that aren't entirely necessary.
And, now I've seen a Kia Niro EV in the flesh, I can recommend that for it's extra rear legroom and boot-space, though I prefer the look of the Kona.
My Kona is doing everything I expected of it ... it's just a normal (though very special) car to me.
BUT I still miss having instant access to NAV for those times in Auckland when you suddenly strike a traffic jam and wonder if turning into a side street might help avoid it (I rarely plug my phone in for CarPlay maps except on trips where I know I'll need navigation assistance).
Anything else you'd like to know, please feel free to ask :-)
justin5:
frednz:
So how's your Kona Elite going Justin, is it doing everything you expected of it? Would you recommend a "non-elite" model or the forthcoming lower range Kona EV model?
My Kona Elite is going great, frednz.
I've done two return trips from Auckland to Napier in it since delivery in November...both trips have been easy and fun, though I have done brief 15 minute charging top-ups to ensure I can make the 409km trip. With the hilly terrain and wanting/needing to drive at "normal" car speeds (100km/h and 110km/h on the Waikato Expressway where legal), I don't think I could make the trip on one charge (despite claims of 400+km range).
Having said that, though, on city roads and around-town driving I am quite sure my Kona Elite will do the claimed range easily.
The "non-Elite" Kona has so much of what my Elite has, so I'd definitely recommend buying one if you don't need the flasher stereo with bigger screen, heads-up display and ventilated seats - all luxuries that aren't entirely necessary.
And, now I've seen a Kia Niro EV in the flesh, I can recommend that for it's extra rear legroom and boot-space, though I prefer the look of the Kona.
My Kona is doing everything I expected of it ... it's just a normal (though very special) car to me.
BUT I still miss having instant access to NAV for those times in Auckland when you suddenly strike a traffic jam and wonder if turning into a side street might help avoid it (I rarely plug my phone in for CarPlay maps except on trips where I know I'll need navigation assistance).
Anything else you'd like to know, please feel free to ask :-)
PS For around 300km of city driving, I am charging at home from 20% to 80% every 10-11 days - my home charger's data tells me that is costing me just over $8 a charge :-)
60% for 300km
That's 500km for 100% around town - cool.
paulchinnz:
60% for 300km
That's 500km for 100% around town - cool.
That does seem outrageously good!
But I can honestly say I drive 32km to and from work on weekdays, and a little less than that on weekend days...hence my guess of 300km driving per 20-80% charge every 10-11 days.
Around town, the Kona seems to me to be every bit as efficient as real range estimates suggest.
https://ev-database.org/car/1126/Hyundai-Kona-Electric-64-kWh
By the way, OZ prices were released recently and they seem quite a bit cheaper than NZ prices ... plus it seems they might have OZ maps (which might mean NZ maps too?).
https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/hyundai-kona-electric-2019-review-australia-117573/
Might be worth importing a few from OZ?
paulchinnz:
60% for 300km
That's 500km for 100% around town - cool.
Around town an EV has an even greater advantage over a fossil fuel burner than elsewhere. Those FFBs have to burn the fossil fuels while idling at intersecttions, whereas the EVs just sit and wait for you to hit the accelerator. Hence, the gap in energy cost is much wider between FFBs & EVs for city driving.
justin5:
frednz:
So how's your Kona Elite going Justin, is it doing everything you expected of it? Would you recommend a "non-elite" model or the forthcoming lower range Kona EV model?
My Kona Elite is going great, frednz.
I've done two return trips from Auckland to Napier in it since delivery in November...both trips have been easy and fun, though I have done brief 15 minute charging top-ups to ensure I can make the 409km trip. With the hilly terrain and wanting/needing to drive at "normal" car speeds (100km/h and 110km/h on the Waikato Expressway where legal), I don't think I could make the trip on one charge (despite claims of 400+km range).
Having said that, though, on city roads and around-town driving I am quite sure my Kona Elite will do the claimed range easily.
The "non-Elite" Kona has so much of what my Elite has, so I'd definitely recommend buying one if you don't need the flasher stereo with bigger screen, heads-up display and ventilated seats - all luxuries that aren't entirely necessary.
And, now I've seen a Kia Niro EV in the flesh, I can recommend that for it's extra rear legroom and boot-space, though I prefer the look of the Kona.
My Kona is doing everything I expected of it ... it's just a normal (though very special) car to me.
BUT I still miss having instant access to NAV for those times in Auckland when you suddenly strike a traffic jam and wonder if turning into a side street might help avoid it (I rarely plug my phone in for CarPlay maps except on trips where I know I'll need navigation assistance).
Anything else you'd like to know, please feel free to ask :-)
Thanks very much Justin for this summary, it's interesting that the Kia Niro EV is now being advertised. The 39.2 kWh model (range 289 km) is priced at $67,990 while the 64 kWh model (range 455km) is just $6,000 more at $73,990.
I would have thought that the 39.2 kWh model would have been priced around $55,000 - $60,000 considering that its range is about 166 km less than the 64 kWh model. I can't imagine many people choosing the 39.2 kWh model just to save $6,000 compared to the 64 kWh model.
I wonder when the Kona 39.2 kWh model will be available and what its likely price will be? Also, Hyundai couldn't tell me when the "non-elite" Kona EV will be available, so it will be interesting to know when this is going on sale here.
As you mention, the Kia Nero has more space than the Kona and its length is 4375mm compared with 4180mm for the Kona.
As far as navigation goes, I agree it's a plus to have both SD card maps as well as Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Several Suzuki vehicles seem to have both types of navigation, so come on Hyundai!
I'm pleased that you're still very happy with the Kona 64 kWh elite, and it's good that the range hasn't yet started to reduce!
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