[Taboleo] Driving an Electric Car for a Week Without a Charger at Home... Kona EV Test Drive Review

Charging a Kona Electric vehicle at the Ministry of Environment charger located at Ganghwa Gapgot Fortress. Photo by Kang Hee-jong

The apartment where the reporter lives is an old building, so there are no electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities. Parking spaces are also insufficient, making double or triple parking a daily occurrence. Given the circumstances, it seems unlikely that charging facilities will be installed anytime soon. Nevertheless, from some point onward, one or two electric cars began to catch the eye in the parking lot, and now their presence has increased considerably. Isn't it inconvenient to have electric cars in an old apartment complex without chargers? Curious about this, the reporter had the opportunity to experience an electric car firsthand for a week.

The car the reporter test-drove was the 'The All-New Kona EV Long Range' model released by Hyundai Motor Company in March 2023. It is equipped with a 64.8-kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery. This car uses a nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) ternary battery from China's CATL. The previous first-generation model had batteries from LG Energy Solution and SK On. In the second-generation model, CATL supplied batteries in Korea and North America, while LG Energy Solution supplied batteries in Europe. The official driving range per full charge is 417 km. From July 1 to 8, the reporter used the Kona EV for commuting and weekend trips around Seoul.

On the first day, July 1, the car was delivered in front of the company located in Jung-gu, Seoul. At that time, the battery charge was at 75%. The delivery driver who handed over the keys advised, "Charge only up to 80%." This was likely due to concerns about fire risks during charging. Especially when charging exceeds 90%, the battery can become unstable. Hyundai Motor Company limits the charging speed automatically when charging above 80% even with fast chargers. However, charging to 100% is not impossible; it just proceeds very slowly.

The next day, commuting from the home in Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, the battery level dropped to 70%. The distance was about 15 km. This means about 5% of the battery was consumed for a round-trip commute of approximately 30 km.

The reporter plugged the charger into the fast charger located in the underground parking lot of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and went upstairs to the press room to work. The charger installed there was from SK Electric. It took some time to download the SK Electric exclusive charging application (app) and complete the membership registration process, but it seemed that using the same charger later would save time.

Kona Electric Car Test Driven by Giga Ja. Photo by Kang Hee-jong

Unlike other electric cars, the Kona EV has its charging port at the front. Therefore, front parking is required when charging. The combo-type fast chargers installed in Korea are quite heavy, even for an adult male to lift. On this day, the reporter almost hurt his back while charging, likely because his body was stiff from driving immediately after waking up early in the morning. People with weak backs might need to do some warm-up exercises before charging.

By installing the charging app, the charging progress can be monitored in real time. Feeling a bit cautious about charging to 100%, the reporter charged only up to 95%. Charging took 49 minutes and cost 7,800 KRW. The charging speed slowed significantly after surpassing 80%. Hyundai Motor Company explains that using a 350 kW fast charger, charging from 10% to 80% takes about 39 minutes.

The dashboard showed a driving range of up to 473 km. This was longer than the official specification. At this rate, it seemed possible to last a week without additional charging.

From July 1 to 5, except for one day, the reporter used the Kona EV for commuting without feeling the need for additional charging. If there were charging facilities at the workplace, it seemed possible to drive an electric car sufficiently even without "home-cooked meals" (a slang term referring to chargers installed at home).

On the weekend, there was a family gathering, so the reporter went to Ganghwado Island. On July 6, the Kona EV was driven about 66 km. After leaving downtown Seoul on Saturday morning, the roads were almost clear. The average efficiency reached the high 8 km per kWh range. During weekday commutes, depending on traffic and weather, the efficiency ranged from 5 to 7 km per kWh. If the Kona EV can maintain an average efficiency of 7 km per kWh, it means it can travel over 450 km on a full charge (7 x 64.8 kWh = 453.8 km). Considering that in real conditions the battery is not charged to 100% and recharging occurs when the battery is above 10%, the maximum driving range is estimated to be around 400 km.

The average fuel efficiency history of the Kona electric vehicle. During long-distance weekend trips, it showed an average efficiency of 7 to 8 km per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while during weekday commuting, it showed an average efficiency of 5 to 7 km per kWh. Photo by Kang Hee-jong

Upon arriving at the mid-point stop, Ganghwado Gapgot Dondae, the remaining battery capacity had dropped to 61%. Fortunately, there was a fast charger installed by the Ministry of Environment. It seemed rarely used as spider webs were seen here and there, but it worked without issues. To avoid the hassle of membership registration, the reporter entered only the phone number and started charging as a non-member. After plugging in the charger and visiting nearby historic sites and museums, a text message arrived 40 minutes later indicating that charging was complete.

Checking the car, the charge had reached only 92%. It seemed that charging to 100% was avoided due to risks of overcharging and fire. The driving range displayed was 456 km. The charging fee was about 7,100 KRW.

After returning home the next day, on Monday the 8th, when returning the car at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the remaining battery capacity had dropped to 59%. There was no additional charging. Over the week, the reporter charged the car twice for commuting and trips around Seoul, with a total charging cost of 14,900 KRW. If it had been a gasoline car, fuel costs would have easily been 50,000 to 60,000 KRW.

This test drive focused solely on the Kona EV as an "electric car." The vehicle's interior and exterior, various convenience features, and ride comfort were not considered.

One of the biggest concerns when purchasing an electric car is the inconvenience of charging and driving range. If there is a charging facility at home, the concern is less, but if not, hesitation is natural.

After driving the Kona EV for a week, even without a charger at home, as long as there is a charging spot near the workplace or business trip location, charging worries seem unnecessary. If the car is used daily for commuting or frequently driven, maintenance costs can be greatly reduced. For long-distance trips, one intermediate charging stop seems inevitable. Unfortunately, this time the reporter did not use highway EV charging stations.