Hyundai Motor has achieved two top results in the first What Car? Real Range tests for electric cars. In the motoring magazine’s evaluation, which complements its ‘True MPG’ tests for petrol and diesel cars, the KONA Electric achieved a ‘real-world’ figure of 416 kilometres on a single charge – the longest driving range of any car tested. Elsewhere, the Hyundai IONIQ Electric was also ahead of the competition, scoring the highest result for electric car efficiency, travelling 6.3 kilometres for every kWh of energy consumed.

The KONA Electric equipped with a 64kWh battery pack was tested by What Car? along with 13 other zero-emission cars at the Millbrook Proving Ground test track, in a mixed range of driving conditions. It achieved a real-world range of 416 kilometres – the equivalent of driving from London to Snowdonia on a single charge.

Results of the What Car? testing comes just a few months after KONA Electric was crowned ‘Affordable Electric Car of the Year 2018’ by Auto Express magazine.

IONIQ Electric scored a second success for the brand in the new Real Range tests, achieving the highest energy efficiency and lowest cost-per-mile rating of any car tested. The zero-emission IONIQ covered an impressive 6.3 kilometres per kWh – 11% further per unit of energy than any other model from a different brand. It achieved a ‘real-world’ range of 117 miles in the What Car? test, at a cost of just 3 pence per mile.

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK said: “The results of the What Car? Real Range tests are a terrific endorsement of our zero-emissions models. Achieving not only the highest ‘real-world’ driving range, but also the best efficiency and lowest cost-per-mile figure of any brand is testament to our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our vehicles. These cars are a compelling proposition for both fleet and retail customers, and we’re confident that KONA Electric and IONIQ Electric will continue to attract praise from media and motorists alike.”

The new What Car? Real Range test is the electric car equivalent of its well-known ‘True MPG’ test for combustion engine vehicles. The analysis is carried out at the Millbrook Proving Ground and incorporates a mix of town, A-road and motorway driving conditions. Testing is done with the lights on, climate control set to 22 degrees and in an ambient temperature of between 10 and 15 degrees.

Credit: Hyundai UK