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2019 Hyundai Kona Electric First Drive Review | No compromises

The results of last week's United Nations climate study reveal that Earth's climate situation is much more dire than previously thought. Unless we do something drastic to stop pumping carbon emissions into our atmosphere, we'll do irreversible damage by 2030. It seems almost prophetic, then, that Hyundai is launching two vehicles — the hydrogen-powered Nexo FCV and an all-electric variant of the recently launched Kona crossover. The more compelling of the two is the Hyundai Kona Electric. It joins other purely battery-powered machines such as the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Bolt and the Tesla Model 3, but the Korean automaker one-ups the competition by arriving in the form of a crossover. Americans can't get enough of them, and no other pure electric on the market offers it unless you're talking about the $83,000 Tesla Model X. The Kona EV's next closest competitor is the boxy electric Soul, and in case you didn't know, Kia's affiliate company is none other than Hyundai. In truth, the crossover moniker isn't entirely accurate. Like its internal-combustion-engined counterpart, the Kona EV doesn't really sit above regular car height. Rather than call it a compact crossover, it'd be more appropriate to label it a hatchback with some rugged-looking body cladding. The Kona Electric does, however, top nearly all of its EV rivals for cargo space, with 19.2 cubic feet. Only the Leaf tops it at 23.6 cubic feet, but the Kona's footprint is almost a foot shorter than the Nissan's. Visually, the Kona Electric is distinguished from its petrol-powered sibling by a grille-less face, replaced by an LCD readout grid pattern with the charging port neatly hidden beneath a panel on the left side. A new light bar spans the prow, connecting the upper driving lights in a digital wave pattern repeated in the lower front, side and rear skirts. It's meant to evoke the pathways in a circuit board, according to senior chief designer Chris Chapman. Inside, more differences serve to remind you that you're sitting not just at the helm of a crossover, but a shuttle to the future. An array of PRND buttons and an electronic parking brake await your instructions. Neither seemed necessary nor an improvement over the Kona classic's tried-and-true gear selector and handbrake, but there they were. The e-e-brake perhaps does permit the double-decker center console, though, the lower level meant for gadget recharging, whether via USB or Qi wireless.

Ohio Senate strips anti-Tesla amendment from bill

Tesla's strategy to sell cars, such as the Model S, through manufacturer-owned retail stores has rubbed traditional franchise auto dealerships the wrong way. The battle between Tesla and the Ohio Auto Dealers Association heated up quickly over the past week because a proposed amendment to an Ohio road-maintenance worker safety bill (Senate Bill 137) threatened to ban Tesla stores in Ohio. The automaker asked for help from its supporters to fight the amendment, and on Tuesday all 12 members of the Ohio senate passed the bill without it, Transport Evolved reports.
After the vote, Tesla sent out an e-mail to its supporters thanking them for their help, which you can read below:
Dear Tesla Advocate,

Recharge Wrap-up: NADA chairman keeps 'Get The Facts,' Teslarati improves at Buttonwillow

Zap and Jonway Autos will sell their electric minivan under the Dongfeng brand. Dongfeng will sell 5,000 units of the EV minivan as a cargo delivery van. Based on the passenger version, the extra seats will be removed to make room for whatever you'd like to carry, as well as a battery large enough to offer over 300 kilometers (184 miles) of driving range per charge. Zap/Jonway expects to have the van ready for delivery by June of this year, with subsequent sales handled by Donfeng's partner, Shi Kong. Dongfeng is one of China's top four government-owned automakers, and is in partnerships with Honda and Nissan, among other automakers. Read more in the press release below. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) will continue its "Get The Facts" campaign under its new chairman. "Get The Facts" tries to explain to the public the benefits of the dealership franchise system – a campaign that also serves as an anti-Tesla platform. In an interview with Ward's Auto, Nada Chairman William Fox says he'll continue those efforts. Fox says that a direct-to-consumer sales method (like Tesla's) could "entice a niche auto manufacturer with lower volume serving a small market," but that "the dealer franchise model is proven to work best." Green Car Reports points out that Fox provides no real-world studies to support this. Check out the interview at Ward's Auto and read more at Green Car Reports. The Teslarati 48 clocked its best time of 2:12 at Buttonwillow Raceway. The folks at Teslarati have taken the Tesla Model S to various racetracks around California and Nevada to test the sporting chops of their beloved EV. This year's time is an improvement over last year's best lap by the Teslarati 48 of 2:19. They give a nice rundown of the track and their experience driving it, including setup, difficulties, charging and power consumption-great reading material for anybody thinking about taking their Model S out for some hot laps. See the 2:12 run in the video above and read more at Teslarati. ZAP and Jonway Auto's EV Minivan will be OEM by Dong Feng Motor Corporation, one of the four China's Largest Auto Group through Shi Kong, Zhejiang SANTA ROSA, Calif., Feb.