2021 Hyundai Kona Electric: MPG and fuel economy
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric is a fully electric vehicle rated at 120 MPGe combined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It has an EPA-rated driving range of 258 miles on a full charge.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 252% better combined MPG than the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2021 model year (34.1 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model Y Standard Range RWD at 129 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car saves around $7,750 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.
- Has an EPA-rated electric driving range of 258 miles.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 120 MPG |
| City MPG | 132 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 108 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $600 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | — |
| Fuel type | Electricity |
How the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric compares
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric returns 120 combined MPG. Cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year average 34.1 MPG, which puts this car ahead of the class average by about 252%.
The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model Y Standard Range RWD at 129 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Hyundai Kona Electric alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2021 model year (across all classes) returns 27.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2021 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for electricity, which is $0.15/kilowatt-hour. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPGe and the reference electricity price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. Charging at home rather than at a public DC fast charger usually lowers the real cost below the EPA's published figure.
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $300 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $600 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $1,000 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Hyundai Kona Electric
The EPA has rated the Hyundai Kona Electric across 5 model years, from 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric through 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 120 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 120 MPG | 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric |
| 2022 | 120 MPG | 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric |
| 2021 | 120 MPG | this page |
| 2020 | 120 MPG | 2020 Hyundai Kona Electric |
| 2019 | 120 MPG | 2019 Hyundai Kona Electric |
Compare against other Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD for 2021
If you are cross-shopping the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Tesla Model Y Standard Range RWD leads this group at 129 MPG, 9 MPG ahead of the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric.
Specifications
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric is a fully electric vehicle. It is powered by 150 kw ac pmsm. The EPA rates its driving range at 258 miles.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Transmission
- Automatic (A1)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Electricity
- Electric motor
- 150 kW AC PMSM
- EV range
- 258 miles
- Annual petroleum use
- 0.1 barrels per year
Common questions about the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric.
-
Is the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric fuel efficient?
Yes. The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric returns 120 combined MPG, which beats the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year by about 252%. -
What MPG does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric at 120 combined MPG, 132 MPG in city driving, and 108 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $600 for the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric use gasoline?
No. The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric is fully electric and runs on grid electricity. The MPGe figure on this page converts electricity use into a gasoline-equivalent so you can compare it directly to a regular car. -
Has the Hyundai Kona Electric become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2019 Hyundai Kona Electric, 120 MPG) and most recent (2023 Hyundai Kona Electric, 120 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric emit?
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric produces zero tailpipe emissions because it runs entirely on electricity. The full carbon footprint of charging it depends on how the electricity on your local grid is generated, which varies a lot from one state to another. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric?
City driving returns 132 MPG and highway driving returns 108 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic. -
What motor does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric use?
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric uses 150 kW AC PMSM. Electric motors do not have a displacement or cylinder count the way a combustion engine does, so EPA reporting focuses on the motor type and battery system instead. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric have?
The 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric comes with a automatic (a1) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2021 Hyundai Kona Electric compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model Y Standard Range RWD at 129 combined MPG. The Hyundai Kona Electric returns 120 MPG, a gap of 9 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.