Hyundai delivered the first-ever Kona Crossover EV to US soil. A doctor at the John Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore, Maryland was the first person to receive the Kona Electric. The Kona crossover EV is Hyundai's first entry to the long-range mass-market EV.
Antwerpen Hyundai Columbia out of Baltimore delivered the very first Hyundai Kona EV to Donald Small M.D., Ph.D. Small is a director of pediatric oncology at the John Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.
Small is a noted advocate in environmentally-friendly living practices. According to PR Newswire, Small was one of the first people to push for the installation of a plug-in station infrastructure at the John Hopkins facility, Small also promotes the use of zero-emission vehicles to reduce health problems and symptoms that come from air pollution.
But this isn't the first that the John Hopkins Hospital and Hyundai have teamed up. The Hyundai Hope On Wheels program, for the past 15 years, has funded pediatric research and has provided over $2 million in grants to the John Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology.
"We share many common values including our commitment to supporting and funding pediatric cancer research through Hyundai's Hope On Wheels program and our joint commitment to a clean environment," said John Syzmanski, the Mid-Atlantic Region General Manager for Hyundai Motor America.
The Hyundai Kona Electric is equipped with a high-efficiency 150 kW permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor. The motor is supplied by a high-voltage 64 kWh lithium-ion battery.
According to Hyundai, the Kona Electric has a range of 258 miles in a single charge. It is equipped with the latest and most advanced safety features, including the standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, High Beam Assist, and Driver Attention Warning.
The Hyundai Kona Electric also offers the best connectivity and info-entertainment technologies available for the car industry. The Kona comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Sirius XM Radio, HD Radio, and next-generation Blue Link LTE-powered connectivity.
With a price range of $36,450 to $45,000, the Hyundai Kona Electric also comes with standard heated seats. Hyundai hopes the Kona would the steps of the highly successful Hyundai crossover vehicles, including the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade.
While the Kona EV isn't available across the US at the moment, reports suggest certain states will start receiving the Kona soon. Hyundai is reportedly bringing the Kona EV to states that mandate zero-emission for vehicles first, like California and Oregon.
