It was on July 9, 2019, when Hyundai Motor India launched its first-ever, pure-electric vehicle – the Kona Electric. Priced at 25.3 lakh (Rs 20,000 more for the dual-tone finish), it is available through 15 authorised dealers across 11 Indian cities. The carmaker has now announced that it has received 120 confirmed bookings for the Kona Electric already. Run the math and, on average, Hyundai got 12 bookings every day and every dealer pitched in with eight bookings.

The Kona Electric comes to India via the CKD route. It is being offered in just one variant – Premium with a 39.2 kWh battery. The lithium-ion stack powers a front-mounted electric motor which has 136PS/395Nm on tap. The claimed range on a single charge is 452km and if the battery pack is connected with the recommended feed (DC @ 50 kW) and charger, it can replenish from zero to 80 per cent in less than an hour. Alternatively, the more readily available AC feed will take 6 hours and 10 minutes to charge the battery completely.

Although Hyundai claims it, the Kona Electric is not exactly an SUV. It is more of a crossover. However, it comes loaded to the gills with features. The list includes a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-drive modes, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control with auto defogger, leather seats, tyre pressure monitoring system, six airbags, auto headlamps and a rear-view camera.

Hyundai is offering the Kona Electric in four single shades – white, silver, blue and black – and one dual-tone finish – white with black roof. As standard, the crossover comes with a 3 years/unlimited km warranty. For the battery, however, the cover is for 8 years/1,60,000 km. Hyundai’s EV (electric vehicle) currently has no direct rivals but, by the end of the year, it will gain one in the form of the MG ZS EV.