In a rather surprising development, Hyundai is skipping the 2026 Kona Electric in the United States. The Korean automaker has paused the production of the current-generation Kona EV as dealerships clear out existing stock.
In a statement to Car and Driver, a Hyundai representative said there’s “adequate stock of the 2025 model year” Kona EV to meet demand at this time.
What’s behind Hyundai’s Kona EV hiatus
The company has also confirmed that the pause is just a breather (at least for now), as the assembly is “scheduled to resume this June as a 2027 model year.”
But does Hyundai really have enough Kona EVs to meet customer demand? The outlet’s shopping tool can only fetch details on 25 new Kona EVs available nationwide, which contradicts that claim. So what is going on behind optimistic media statements?
The declining EV demand seems to be the culprit here. Sales of the Kona Electric seem to have plummeted by 41% from 2024 to 2025, partly due to the elimination of the $ 7,500 federal EV tax credit by the U.S. government and partly due to consumers’ transition toward hybrids.
It isn’t a farewell (yet)
Other factors, such as import tariffs (which prevent the automaker from pricing the EV aggressively), internal competition with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, and outdated specifications (especially the range and charging time), must have contributed to the decision to pause current production.
The silver lining is that a camouflaged version of the Hyundai Kona EV has been spotted in South Korea (via Electrek), indicating that the nameplate is undergoing a substantial redesign (which seems like the absolute need of the hour).
Hence, the current pause could provide the time needed to prepare for a revamped 2027 model with upgraded exteriors, interiors, and powertrains.