Hyundai Kona Electric Will Skip 2026
Hyundai is pressing pause on the Kona Electric. The automaker will skip the 2026 model year entirely, sell through its remaining 2025 inventory, and bring the small electric crossover back for 2027. The move effectively creates a one-year gap for the entry-level EV in Hyundai’s U.S. lineup.
Hyundai confirmed in a Car and Driver report that, rather than pushing a lightly updated version into a cooling market, it appears content to let existing stock clear out. Dealers will continue selling 2025 Kona Electric models until supply runs dry, after which the nameplate will go temporarily dark. Production is expected to resume ahead of the redesigned 2027 model.
Hyundai
Another EV Pause in a Cooling Market
Hyundai’s decision does not exist in a vacuum. Several automakers have recently slowed, paused, or outright canceled EV programs as demand levels off. Genesis has halted production of updated EVs, Nissan is winding down the Ariya earlier than expected, and Volkswagen has paused ID. Buzz output amid sluggish sales and pricing concerns.
The broader backdrop is clear: EV demand growth has softened while supply has increased. Inventory levels have swelled across multiple brands, forcing automakers to reassess rollout timing and production cadence. Hyundai and Kia also experienced a notable dip in EV sales last year. While the past month shows signs of stabilization, helped largely by strong hybrid performance, the all-electric segment remains under pressure.
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Resetting for a 2027 Redesign
From a product-planning perspective, skipping 2026 may be the most rational approach. A next-generation Kona is already in the pipeline for 2027, reportedly bypassing a traditional mid-cycle refresh and instead adopting a more substantial design evolution inspired by Hyundai’s forward-leaning concepts. Rather than invest in a short-lived interim model, Hyundai is aligning the Kona Electric with that broader overhaul.
This strategy reduces complexity, limits oversupply risk, and positions the Kona EV to re-enter the market with meaningful updates rather than incremental tweaks. It also gives Hyundai time to recalibrate pricing, battery sourcing, and federal incentive eligibility in a market that remains volatile. In short, the Kona Electric isn’t dead just yet, merely hibernating.
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