End of an era

[Scott K.]

Specs and range aside, i think a big issue with this one is it's looks. It's frankly pretty ugly. Reminds me of an 80s Le Car. Of course, that's my opinion, but i'm not shocked to see it didn't sell well.

Been thinking recently about upgrading from my ’17 Bolt. I like my neighbor’s older Kona. I really prefer the small-car footprint, especially for my 90% urban slugfest. Another neighbor got the ’25 Kona—in red. I just can’t get into the styling, not one bit. And I caught the hatchback at a side angle and it has this weird overbite. I’ve also been browsing for the EV6 Wind, which is over a foot longer than the Bolt. Well, the Bolt is long paid for, the replaced battery has 5 years left on it and I’ll never hit the 100K mark, and as a Premier it has most of the features I’d want in a car. Looks like I’ll stick with the Bolt for a while longer.

 

[insightman]

Been thinking recently about upgrading from my ’17 Bolt. I like my neighbor’s older Kona. I really prefer the small-car footprint, especially for my 90% urban slugfest. Another neighbor got the ’25 Kona—in red. I just can’t get into the styling, not one bit. And I caught the hatchback at a side angle and it has this weird overbite. I’ve also been browsing for the EV6 Wind, which is over a foot longer than the Bolt. Well, the Bolt is long paid for, the replaced battery has 5 years left on it and I’ll never hit the 100K mark, and as a Premier it has most of the features I’d want in a car. Looks like I’ll stick with the Bolt for a while longer.

I smiled when I saw your Playtime-logo avatar. Jacques Tati's 1967 (essentially) dialogue-free movie is one of my favorites! For those who have never heard of this film, in Roger Ebert's review, he writes, "Jacques Tati's 'Playtime,' like '2001: A Space Odyssey' or 'The Blair Witch Project' or 'Russian Ark,' is one of a kind, complete in itself, a species already extinct at the moment of its birth." I agree, there will never be another film like "Playtime."

 

[Jennifer]

Sad to see this release:
https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/4513#Kona_EV
The 2025 my Kona EV is the last model year with the 64 kWh battery, confirmed by Ioniq Guy:

As he describes probably to make room for a smaller E-GMP version (Ioniq 3 possibly).
I sure feel relieved to have purchased the last model year with the long range battery.
Sorry to see this wonderful EV discontinued.

Sad to see this release:
https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/4513#Kona_EV
The 2025 my Kona EV is the last model year with the 64 kWh battery, confirmed by Ioniq Guy:

As he describes probably to make room for a smaller E-GMP version (Ioniq 3 possibly).
I sure feel relieved to have purchased the last model year with the long range battery.
Sorry to see this wonderful EV discontinued.

I wonder what this means for those of us for older Konas about getting them serviced by someone who knows what they're doing.

 

[KiwiME]

Electric vehicle technologies are much the same underneath for all brands and models.

 

[insightman]

Electric vehicle technologies are much the same underneath for all brands and models.

@KiwiME and other, lesser EV minds, will identify the chronic problems Konas experience and know the solutions.

The biggest problem facing owners of orphaned vehicles is when the manufacturers stop supplying the parts needed to maintain them. However, if there are many of those orphaned vehicles on the road and people like them, the aftermarket can be counted on to fill the parts gaps.

 

[Scott K.]

I smiled when I saw your Playtime-logo avatar. Jacques Tati's 1967 (essentially) dialogue-free movie is one of my favorites! For those who have never heard of this film, in Roger Ebert's review, he writes, "Jacques Tati's 'Playtime,' like '2001: A Space Odyssey' or 'The Blair Witch Project' or 'Russian Ark,' is one of a kind, complete in itself, a species already extinct at the moment of its birth." I agree, there will never be another film like "Playtime."

PlayTime should make you smile! It’s my favorite film (could you guess?). I’ve seen it countless times in the theatre, most recently a couple of months ago in 70mm at the American Cinematheque at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. It’s always best seen in 70mm with an appreciative audience. I’m lucky to have seen it this way, the 2001 70mm restoration, several times. Glad to have brought a smile to you.

 

[Scott K.]

Electric vehicle technologies are much the same underneath for all brands and models.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Kona drivetrain a cousin to the Chevy Bolt EV? Aren’t the batteries and motor made by LG? That might prove valuable a few years down the road, should we still have our respective cars?

 

[KiwiME]

Only the cells were both from LG Energy and may have originally been the same part number and with the same unfortunate defect.
The drive trains have nothing in common and the 1st-gen Kona’s was designed by Hyundai-division MOBIS. The GM design is especially clever.

It’s the Ford MachE that has components made by LG, at least according to a teardown video I’ve watched.
It’s possible that more recent Hyundai EVs have an outsourced powertrain design.