Hayden Paddon and his Paddon Rallysport Group have been contiuning testing of their Hyundai Kona EV rallycar. Built by PRG with input from Austrian Manfred Stohl’s Stohl Advanced Research and Development (STARD), which supplied the powertrains for the Projekt E electric Rallycross pilot, it is based around a Kona shell, similar to that which Hyundai hopes to campaign in the WRC from 2022.
The STARD-supplied battery, inverter and motor is capable of a maximum output of around 900bhp, but in rally trim, where it is hoped the car will complete full distance stage rallies, power will be around 400-500bhp. Given the car’s weight of approximately 1,400kg, this should put performance in the ballpark of modern WRC (which has slightly less power but weighs 1,190kg).
The Kona also has the option to run either two, three or four motors, and the battery pack will be updated as prototype testing continues to a larger capacity unit. Paddon’s hope is to have the car competing in New Zealand-based events over the course of the next 12 months.
