New Hyundai Kona Electric gets sporty N Line treatment

The new HyundaiKona Electric N Line has been spied completely undisguised, the first time the brand’s small electric SUV has been offered in a sporty trim level.

Healer TV, known for posting footage of new cars before their reveal in Korea, discovered an undisguised Kona Electric N Line.

Hyundai revealed its latest generation of Kona earlier this year in petrol, hybrid and electric guise, but only combustion-powered models were shown in N Line guise.

Based on the video, the Kona Electric N Line will receive black cladding on the front bumper and a small N Line badge on the front grille, the same as its combustion-powered sibling.

It will retain the regular Kona Electric’s front charge port and pixel graphic on the bumper.

Along the side, the prototype features new N-badged wheels which Healer TV suggests could be exclusive to the Kona Electric N Line.

Around the back, it shares a few N Line design elements with its combustion-powered counterpart. There is a split black spoiler, and a more aggressive rear bumper similar to the other Kona N Line models.

Inside, the Kona Electric N Line has a mix of leather and Alcantara upholstery with red racing stripes stitched in the centre. There is also an N badge embossed into the front seats.

The seats and steering wheel have red stitching and there is a red stripe that runs along the dashboard.

You can see more of the Kona Electric N Line in the video above.

It’s unclear what changes will be made under the skin. There could be changes to the suspension tune as with its combustion-power siblings, but changes to its electric powertrain are less likely.

The N Line will be the sportiest Kona Electric unless a rumoured Kona Electric N comes to fruition.

Hyundai is yet to detail local specifications for the Australian-market Kona Electric, but in Europe the Kona Electric Standard Range is powered by a single electric motor producing 115kW of power and 255Nm of torque with a 48.4kWh battery.

This battery is around 9.0kWh larger than the outgoing Kona Electric Standard Range, with the electric motor producing 15kW more and 140Nm less.

A claimed range figure hasn’t been provided for the new Kona Electric Standard Range thus far but the outgoing model had a WLTP figure of 305km.

The Kona Electric Long Range has a single electric motor that produces 160kW and 255Nm of torque with a 65.4kWh battery.

Maximum driving range is claimed to be over 490km per WLTP testing.

The entire range is still based on a 400V electric architecture with charging from 10 per cent to 80 per cent claimed to take 41 minutes with a fast charger.

Hyundai is yet to set a date for the Kona Electric N Line reveal but given the readiness of this car, it’s expected to be sometime early next year.

MORE: Everything Hyundai Kona