Single $59,990 model with 339 kilometres’ range sites above petrol and diesel alternates.

ANOTHER Korean car brand will be soon offering an electric vehicle here.

The Korando e-Motion is as the name suggests; SsangYong’s sports utility wagon that has been familiar to Kiwis in combustion engine form for years now delivering with a fully battery-fed drivetrain.

The first of three pure electric models SsangYong plans to deliver by 2025 to muscle into territory already explored by Hyundai and Kia, the Korando e-Motion has been priced at $59,990 plus on road costs, so significantly more than the three petrol and single diesel editions, which site at between $31,990 and $39,990 and also provision with the alternate of four-wheel-drive.

Eligible for the Government’s $8625 Clean Car rebate, the electric is single motor and front-drive and has a 61.5kWh battery (55.3kWh usable), offering a WLTP range of 339 kilometres.

Maximum power and torque outputs of 140kW and 360Nm avail, it registers a 0-100kmh time of nine seconds and has a braked towing capacity of 1500kg. SsangYong quotes a 163kmh top speed in its home market. 

One point of difference is that it formats for 100kW DC charging.

Differentiating the Korando E-Motion from the standard model are unique front and rear bumpers (with a closed-off front grille), aero-optimised 17-inch wheels with 215/65 tyres and blue accents across a number of the body panels. An aluminium bonnet is to save weight.

There's a 'shift-by-wire' gear selector between the passengers, along with an electric parking brake. An infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay features plus it has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, but the trim level appears to also include cloth seats.

Available active safety technologies include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, auto high beam, driver attention warning and Safe Distance Warning.

In supplied comment today, SsangYong’s local agent said the car has “the practicalities of a mid-sized C-segment SUV, coupled with all the features Kiwi motorists have come to expect, along with high build quality the Korean manufacturer is renowned for.”

Orders are being taken from tomorrow and the first examples are set to be delivered in late December or early January.