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the next affordable EV to come to market with be the Kona. While not a sedan independent testers are already seeing 5miles per kwh which is incredible and its p

the next affordable EV to come to market with be the Kona. While not a sedan independent testers are already seeing 5miles per kwh which is incredible and its price points are very good. the issue is availability, in the US it is expected to be a CARB state car only for awhile. When I decided to move from my 2017 Volt to a pure EV I really wanted a sedan which led me to the TM3 I did buy but I did try to give the Bolt a chance but simply put, the killer app of the TM3 is the super charging network. That and i have found the spartan dash has made me rethink the need for dozens of buttons most cars have. Recent Kona review https://youtu.be/LATZ0g-Sz2s https://youtu.be/LATZ0g-Sz2s

cmrdporcupine 8y ago
I question whether the Kona will become universally available. Last time I looked into this it sounded like Kia and Hyundai really have no intention of bringing their next lines of EVs out to anywhere but CARB and incentive states. And since Ontario recently dropped off that list (because of the mini-Trump up here), I doubt we'll ever see it sold here.
pitaj 8y ago
If only it had AWD. That's the deal-breaker for me. Too much snow around here to not have that feature.
- sveme 8y ago
  Out of curiosity: do you use winter tires, is that a thing in the US?
  - pitaj 8y ago
    I use all-weather tires, which essentially behave the same as winter tires, but don't require a tire change for different seasons. You can, of course, buy winter tires here. However, AWD / 4WD address different problems than winter tires do. As I understand it, winter tires are useful for traction on ice or packed snow, but won't help significantly in unpacked snow, where 4WD helps immensely. Around here, it's hilly and there are many streets which won't get plowed immediately. This makes 4WD pretty vital for getting around sometimes. Plus, 4WD helps with vehicle control at speed in slick conditions.
    - ams6110 8y ago
      no, all-weather tires are not the same as winter tires. Proper winter tires will make a huge difference if you have to drive in snow or ice conditions. But you won't want to use them in the summer because they will wear out rather quickly.
      - pitaj 8y ago
        Maybe you're thinking of all-season tires? There is a difference between all-weather and all-season. From the information I've been able to find, winter tires are better than all-weather, but only by 10-20%.
  - bradlys 8y ago
    It's a thing but many people in the US are very bad at driving [in the snow]... and don't care to use snow tires. They want perfect handling and acceleration in any condition and not having to switch tires or use traction aiding devices. But, it's also a thing of, "I want it just in case..." I've seen enough off-road ready cars here that have never seen anything more intense than a puddle. This is a country that buys Jeeps en masse but they're stuck doing city duty their entire life. Something fun to read from a few years ago: http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/remembering-snowmageddon-2014-2-years-later http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/remembering-snowmageddon-201... That was from 2 inches (5cm) of snow. Americans in general don't buy what they need or will use. They buy what they want.
    - pitaj 8y ago
      > It's a thing but many people in the US are very bad at driving [in the snow] Most of those people, like in the Atlanta story, never drive in more than a 1/2in of snow. > and don't care to use snow tires. Snow tires are expensive, and usually not worth the expense beyond all-weather tires, especially for people in the south. > They want perfect handling and acceleration in any condition and not having to switch tires or use traction aiding devices. Is that not something you'd like from your car? Seems like a nice feature to me, and my car isn't even close to that.

cmrdporcupine 8y ago

I question whether the Kona will become universally available. Last time I looked into this it sounded like Kia and Hyundai really have no intention of bringing their next lines of EVs out to anywhere but CARB and incentive states. And since Ontario recently dropped off that list (because of the mini-Trump up here), I doubt we'll ever see it sold here.

pitaj 8y ago

If only it had AWD. That's the deal-breaker for me. Too much snow around here to not have that feature.

sveme 8y ago
Out of curiosity: do you use winter tires, is that a thing in the US?
- pitaj 8y ago
  I use all-weather tires, which essentially behave the same as winter tires, but don't require a tire change for different seasons. You can, of course, buy winter tires here. However, AWD / 4WD address different problems than winter tires do. As I understand it, winter tires are useful for traction on ice or packed snow, but won't help significantly in unpacked snow, where 4WD helps immensely. Around here, it's hilly and there are many streets which won't get plowed immediately. This makes 4WD pretty vital for getting around sometimes. Plus, 4WD helps with vehicle control at speed in slick conditions.
  - ams6110 8y ago
    no, all-weather tires are not the same as winter tires. Proper winter tires will make a huge difference if you have to drive in snow or ice conditions. But you won't want to use them in the summer because they will wear out rather quickly.
    - pitaj 8y ago
      Maybe you're thinking of all-season tires? There is a difference between all-weather and all-season. From the information I've been able to find, winter tires are better than all-weather, but only by 10-20%.
- bradlys 8y ago
  It's a thing but many people in the US are very bad at driving [in the snow]... and don't care to use snow tires. They want perfect handling and acceleration in any condition and not having to switch tires or use traction aiding devices. But, it's also a thing of, "I want it just in case..." I've seen enough off-road ready cars here that have never seen anything more intense than a puddle. This is a country that buys Jeeps en masse but they're stuck doing city duty their entire life. Something fun to read from a few years ago: http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/remembering-snowmageddon-2014-2-years-later http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/remembering-snowmageddon-201... That was from 2 inches (5cm) of snow. Americans in general don't buy what they need or will use. They buy what they want.
  - pitaj 8y ago
    > It's a thing but many people in the US are very bad at driving [in the snow] Most of those people, like in the Atlanta story, never drive in more than a 1/2in of snow. > and don't care to use snow tires. Snow tires are expensive, and usually not worth the expense beyond all-weather tires, especially for people in the south. > They want perfect handling and acceleration in any condition and not having to switch tires or use traction aiding devices. Is that not something you'd like from your car? Seems like a nice feature to me, and my car isn't even close to that.