I considered several options when I purchased my Kona Electric last year. My first thought was to go the least expensive route and getting myself a used Chevy Bolt. This was in mid 2019 and used 2017 Bolts were still at about $23k to $24k. Then I started looking at new Tesla Model 3's (used ones were about the same price as new). I was close to pulling the trigger on a standard range plus Model 3 (which would have cost me about $41k less $3875 FEDERAL tax credit (which was the remaining tax credit still available prior to July 2019). Right now, that FEDERAL tax credit for the Model 3 is ZERO! So, the car would have cost me $37125 + sales tax on $41k, so approximately $40k considering all the expenses like registration and sales tax.
Now, when researching EV's, I came across the new Kona Electric.. I only found out about that car in June 2019.. What made me take a closer look at the car was that I read about the 2019 LIFETIME WARRANTY on the EV battery.. My main concern with EV's has always been the life of the EV battery.. I called Hyundai to see if degradation is covered as they did not specifically mention it in their warranty. I asked a specific quesiton: Would I get a new battery if capacity drops to like 65% due to degradation. The person I talked to did not know and they called their supervisor. The supervisor confirmed that in this scenario, I would receive a replacement battery. Based on that information, I started researching prices and found a fantastic deal on a 2019 Kona Electric SEL in Maryland. I got $2200 off MSRP on one in the color that I wanted. So, my purchase price ended up being $36100. I already got my $7500 federal tax credit on my tax return, so the total cost for the car was $28600 + sales tax on $36100. My total cost with sales tax, registration etc. ended up somewhere around $31000. Now, the Kona electric gets a lot more range than the Standard Range Plus Model 3 even though they are rated similar in range (currently Model 3 Standard Range Plus is rated 250 miles and the Kona 258 miles in range) but independent range tests show that the Kona Electric performs closer to the Model 3 long range rather than the Standard Range Plus. Don't be confused by the EPA numbers. Look for actual real life range tests. In one of the tests, the Kona Electric even beat both, the Long Range and Performance version of the Model 3 and in other tests, it came very close to the Model 3 Long Range. The Kona's range is significantly underrated.
In 11 months of ownership, I AVERAGE 4.8 mi/kwh which translates to 307 mile range.. I have never seen a Tesla Model 3 long range owner that averages close to their rated range. Of course, a car purchase is an emotional one. If it was just based on looks and prestige, I would have gone with the Model 3, even at $10k more. However, the combination of battery warranty, lower cost and better range on the Kona made the decision easy for me. I love Teslas as no other EV in that price range delivers better looks or better performance than the Model 3 but I tried to take emotion out of the equation and chose the car that was the best for my needs. So, I ended up with the Kona Electric and I did not regret it. Sure, I would love a Model 3 but it just wasn't worth the extra $10k , shorter battery warranty and shorter range. If I will buy a Model 3 at one point, it will have to be the Long Range version.. However, the Long Range would have run me additional $10k, so $20k more than the Kona Electric..
If you decide to go with the Kona Electric, I would recommend getting one of the leftover 2019's as they come with the LIFETIME battery warranty (for original owner). Hyundai dropped that warranty for 2020. The 2020 model is virtually identical with the 2019..
DISCLAIMER: I live in a warm climate (Florida), so I'm NOT using the heater at all. Range may vary for those who live in colder climates, so my average efficiency may not be achieved in states where you have to use the heater in colder months.
