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The Best EV for Disaster Prep! eCamping with the Hyundai KONA Was Super Comfortable

Hi, I’m Hide — tech journalist and part-time house-husband. I went camping in the Hyundai KONA, which is really practical for car camping and as a power source — and it was super comfortable.

With warnings about a possible Nankai Trough earthquake growing, a car that can power your home and let you live or sleep using its stored electricity is worth considering, even if it’s a BEV (a car that runs on battery only).

Official site: Hyundai Product site: KONA

For my articles, I sometimes receive products on loan or as samples from companies, within the bounds of Yahoo! News’ rules. However, if a product doesn’t meet my standards for writing about it after actually using it, or if its downsides significantly outweigh its good points, I return it and don’t write about it. I don’t receive any payment from companies.

Driver assist that’s evolved beyond the IONIQ 5

The first thing I noticed was how much the driver assist has improved since the IONIQ 5 I reviewed before. With the IONIQ 5, a few things bugged me, like the slightly strong steering assist and how hard it braked when stopping behind the car ahead.

The IONIQ 5’s fairly strong assist bothered me (it may have improved since via updates)
The IONIQ 5’s fairly strong assist bothered me (it may have improved since via updates)
With the KONA, all of that is fixed. When it brakes for the car ahead, it’s as gentle as a master chauffeur — you don’t even feel that little jolt at the end. I was amazed at how softly it stops, easing off the brake at the last moment like a human driver would.
The front panel is just as functional as the IONIQ 5’s
The front panel is just as functional as the IONIQ 5’s
Features like showing a side view when you use the turn signal carry over from the IONIQ 5, making for a really comfortable drive.

Excellent as a power source for disasters and eCamping

Hyundai’s BEVs also deserve credit for their excellent V2L (using the car as an AC power source). Most Japanese makers need pretty bulky equipment for V2L, but the IONIQ 5 and KONA just need a small adapter to get 100V AC from the charging port.

I’ve never seen an adapter this small on a Japanese car
I’ve never seen an adapter this small on a Japanese car
Getting 100V just by plugging in the adapter is a huge advantage
Getting 100V just by plugging in the adapter is a huge advantage
The KONA has less capacity than the IONIQ 5, but it can run appliances up to 1,360W. And the V2L equipment comes included — something other makers in Japan don’t offer. I’ll get to the price later, but on this point, I think it’s the most effective EV right now for disasters and camping.

This time I got to try eCamping (a camping style popular in the US that enjoys nature while bringing in tech and comfort) at PICA Fuji Grinpa, and I brought along all kinds of appliances.

We had a cottage with power, but I deliberately camped using V2L
We had a cottage with power, but I deliberately camped using V2L
If you can use your car as a power source, you can enjoy eCamping even at campsites without power — not just in disasters
If you can use your car as a power source, you can enjoy eCamping even at campsites without power — not just in disasters
Here’s what I brought. Everything ran properly on the KONA’s power. One of the annoying things about camping is that whoever’s on cooking duty is stuck cooking the whole time. Especially with multiple families, the cook never gets to relax.
ENRO is the only electric pizza oven that hits 400°C
ENRO is the only electric pizza oven that hits 400°C
The pizza comes out ridiculously good
The pizza comes out ridiculously good
Breakfast starts with making dashi in the VERMICULAR
Breakfast starts with making dashi in the VERMICULAR
After the dashi, cooking rice — it came out perfect
After the dashi, cooking rice — it came out perfect
The fridge runs off the KONA in the car, then on battery with the EENOUR model — keeps things frozen for 8 hours
The fridge runs off the KONA in the car, then on battery with the EENOUR model — keeps things frozen for 8 hours
Leftover dashi and meat can be frozen and taken home — handy
Leftover dashi and meat can be frozen and taken home — handy
It gets pretty cold at night in the highlands even in summer. A food warmer keeps meals hot at camp — another perk of having power from the KONA
It gets pretty cold at night in the highlands even in summer. A food warmer keeps meals hot at camp — another perk of having power from the KONA
After the meal, green tea from Teplo with dashi-like umami rivaling an old Kyoto tea house
After the meal, green tea from Teplo with dashi-like umami rivaling an old Kyoto tea house
This one’s a commercial machine and isn’t sold, but the home model below brews the same quality
This one’s a commercial machine and isn’t sold, but the home model below brews the same quality
The consumer model has less capacity, but the quality is the same
The consumer model has less capacity, but the quality is the same
Powering a laptop is no problem when you’re shooting like this. The SSD is SanDisk’s 4TB model — plenty of room even for ProRes RAW
Powering a laptop is no problem when you’re shooting like this. The SSD is SanDisk’s 4TB model — plenty of room even for ProRes RAW
If you can bring all kinds of appliances with eCamping as the base, everything changes. Of course, things that taste better cooked over a fire, I still do that way, but everything else can be cooked automatically, which gives you breathing room even camping with multiple families.
Salted mackerel, clam soup, and rice — almost all cooked automatically. Being able to do this at camp is the best
Salted mackerel, clam soup, and rice — almost all cooked automatically. Being able to do this at camp is the best
Matador gear I love, even though it doesn’t use electricity
Matador gear I love, even though it doesn’t use electricity
Matador products have the pouch sewn on so you won’t lose it, plus pegs in the corners so it won’t blow away in strong wind — excellent
Matador products have the pouch sewn on so you won’t lose it, plus pegs in the corners so it won’t blow away in strong wind — excellent
SUBU’s NANNEN — as the name says, flame-resistant, so campfire sparks won’t burn holes in it. Changing into these when you set up camp cuts fatigue way down. A fantastic item
SUBU’s NANNEN — as the name says, flame-resistant, so campfire sparks won’t burn holes in it. Changing into these when you set up camp cuts fatigue way down. A fantastic item
Camping is one thing, but in a disaster, being able to use appliances is a huge advantage. Not just emergency food — just having a rice cooker and fridge would change your quality of life, so I think it’s great to be able to prepare like this.

And using it while camping lets you check what you can and can’t run, which gives you peace of mind for disasters too.

You can even use appliances over 1,360W with a trick

Using it, I felt that 1,360W is right at the edge. Most appliances work, but compared to the IONIQ 5’s 1,600W, there are a few you just can’t use. But I found a workaround to run appliances over 1,360W, so I want to share it.

Alongside the KONA, I used EcoFlow’s DELTA 2 Max portable power station as backup power. At about 2 kWh it’s small compared to the KONA, but for a portable power station it’s huge, and keeping one at home is a big plus for disaster prep.

The DELTA 2 Max is a bit heavy, but it doesn’t lose charge sitting around, and it can output a lot of watts
The DELTA 2 Max is a bit heavy, but it doesn’t lose charge sitting around, and it can output a lot of watts
Its max output is 2,000W, well above the KONA. That let me use ENRO’s electric pizza oven, which normally can’t run on the KONA. One thing to watch: the DELTA 2 Max’s input is normally over 1,360W. Flip the switch on the back and you can change the input (how much power it draws from the KONA) in the app. Limiting it to about 1,000W balances charging speed and output.
Limiting the input wattage lets you use it together with the KONA
Limiting the input wattage lets you use it together with the KONA
The KONA’s V2L shuts off as soon as you go over 1,360W, so this setting is a must — but with it, you don’t have to worry about the KONA’s only real downside, the 1,360W limit. Pairing it with a portable power station also lets you use power longer, so I recommend it.

It’s cheap — worth choosing even over Japanese brands

Here’s the IONIQ 5 vs. KONA at the same trim level. The IONIQ 5 offers AWD, but I compared without it.

Even the top Lounge trim is in the ¥4 million range, which is great value for this battery capacity and these specs. And the driver assist, at least on braking, beats Mazda’s, which I’d thought was the best.

I wouldn’t recommend the base trim of either the KONA or IONIQ 5, but anything above is worth considering, including EV subsidies. The KONA Lounge especially — fully loaded yet still in the ¥4 million range, and with subsidies it’s nearly ¥1 million cheaper than comparable Japanese BEVs (like Nissan’s ARIYA). I recommend test-driving it without preconceptions.

Drop the preconceptions and try it first

Honestly, Hyundai doesn’t exactly have a great image in Japan. I drove Hyundais when I lived in the US, so I don’t have a bad impression, but it’s true that lots of people bash them in Yahoo! comments without ever having driven one.

But from my experience, what I want to say is: “Just try driving one.” There’s greatness you only understand by driving it, plus “kid-friendly design” you don’t find in Japanese cars. Not as much as the IONIQ 5, but little touches stood out, like the ISOFIX anchors being red so they’re easy to see.

These anchors being red is a small thing, but it makes them easier to find
These anchors being red is a small thing, but it makes them easier to find
Its value as a BEV is top-notch, and the battery capacity seems fine even for long trips. The V2L especially is easier to use than any other brand’s, so I think it’s a real option in disaster-prone Japan.
I liked that there’s a bit of storage up front too — room for tent pegs or a coffee set
I liked that there’s a bit of storage up front too — room for tent pegs or a coffee set
Something surprisingly rare in Japanese cars: vents for the back seat. It makes up for how hard it is to cool the back seat in Japanese cars
Something surprisingly rare in Japanese cars: vents for the back seat. It makes up for how hard it is to cool the back seat in Japanese cars
There’s a little space under the rear storage too — handy. Usually there’s an emergency kit here so you can’t use it, but in the KONA you can, so I stored small odds and ends
There’s a little space under the rear storage too — handy. Usually there’s an emergency kit here so you can’t use it, but in the KONA you can, so I stored small odds and ends
Try it out and I think you’ll understand what I’m getting at. Please, give it a go without preconceptions. My parents are at the age where their next car might be their last, and it’s so well made I’d even suggest they try it.

Besides Yahoo! JAPAN, I also write for GIZMODO, BCN+R, and more — please follow along.

For my cooking and daily life as a house-husband, check out my Instagram. [Parenting, chores, cooking, and everyday life] Tech journalist / part-time house-husband. Renovated a 50-year-old danchi into a smart home. Writes the “Hidenori Kimura’s Tech Magic” column for BCN+R, official Yahoo! News Expert, GIZMODO writer. https://www.instagram.com/hidenori.kimura/

This story was originally published (in Japanese) on Yahoo! News Japan Expert.

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