The Hyundai Kona Electric Is Not Getting A 2026 Model. Here’s Why

• Hyundai is pausing U.S.-spec production of the 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric.
• The company confirmed that the entry-level EV is not going away forever, and that there’s still plenty of 2025 models available.
• The cheapest Hyundai EV in the U.S. will return as a 2027 model.

The Hyundai Kona Electric is taking a little break from the United States market. The company’s smallest and most affordable electric car stateside will skip the 2026 model year, with U.S.-spec production already put on hold at the automaker’s factory in South Korea, according to a spokesperson who confirmed the move to Car and Driver.

Hyundai didn’t say it out loud, but it looks like the reason for the Kona EV’s hiatus is the lack of significant sales. “There is an adequate stock of the 2025 model year Kona Electric to manage consumer demand for the model at this time,” the spokesperson told Car and Driver. 

2026 Hyundai Kona Electric

Photo by: Hyundai

In other words, it doesn’t make sense to keep churning out new cars if the ones that are already sitting in dealerships are collecting dust. Last year, Hyundai sold an estimated 3,011 Kona EVs stateside, a whopping 41% decrease compared to 2024, according to Cox Automotive. Hyundai doesn’t provide individual sales numbers for the Kona Electric.

All this being said, the Kona is not dead–at least not yet. “Kona Electric production will return after a short hiatus, with assembly scheduled to resume this June as a 2027 model year,” the company rep added.

Hyundai revealed the 2026 Kona Electric late last year as a carry-over model, but it has since been put on the back burner. Just one trim level with the smallest possible battery was part of the 2026 lineup, and the only standout feature was a larger console tray in the cabin. The 2027 model is expected to offer the same basic lineup when it goes on sale later this year.

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Source: Hyundai

The 2025 Kona EV is still available in SE, SEL, N Line and Limited trims, with two battery options. The Standard Range pack has a 48.6-kilowatt-hour capacity, which enables an EPA-estimated range of 200 miles. Meanwhile, the Long Range option offers 64.8 kWh of energy and 261 miles of range. The base battery is paired with a 133-horsepower front motor, while the larger pack comes with a more powerful, 201-hp motor.

After a rough fourth quarter, automakers are second-guessing every EV in their lineup, and Hyundai is just the latest one to join the party. Volkswagen has put the ID. Buzz minivan on hiatus for the 2026 model year, while Ford and Ram have canceled their electric pickups altogether.