EVs used to be weird outlier models with their own peculiar shapes and trims, but more often than not these days, customers want their electric cars to look just like their combustion counterparts and to be available in exactly the same warpaint.
Which is why Hyundai is extending its sporty-looking N Line trim to the Kona electric, the first time one of the brand’s EVs has had the option of performance styling. And this really is just a styling exercise, and definitely not to be confused with a full-blown N derivative like the gas-powered Kona N.
But it looks suitably purposeful thanks to more aggressive front and rear bumpers, gloss black mirror caps, special 19-inch wheels and an optional two-tone black roof option that isn’t available on lesser models. The N treatment continues inside in the form of a dedicated N Line steering wheel, metal pedals, black headliner and sports seats.
Related: 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric Starts At $32,675 And Offers Up To 261 Miles Of Range
How those seats are finished depends – in the UK, at least – whether you go for the base £40,395 ($51,164) N Line or the £43,095 ($54,580) N Line S. Tightwads get cloth and spendthrifts enjoy an Eco Alcantara and leather combo, though both sets of chairs feature the same red contrast stitching and heated squabs in front and back. The S also adds ventilation and electric adjustment to the seats, dual-zone climate with rear air vents, a Bose hifi, full-width DRL light bar and a brace of safety features missing on the non-S Kona N Line.
One thing that doesn’t change between the two models is what’s under the hood. Both get the same 65 kWh battery and single 215 hp (218 PS / 160 kW) electric motor that drives the front wheels and gets the Kona Electric to 62 mph (100 kmh) in 7.8 seconds. Lesser Konas can also be ordered with a 154 hp (156 PS / 115 kW) electric motor and smaller 48.4 kWh battery, but that’s not available here.
Currently the N Line treatment has only been confirmed for European versions of the Kona Electric, but given that the ICE Kona is available in the U.S. with N Line garb, it’s safe to assume the sporty-looking version of the EV will be offered in North America soon.
