Hyundai Debuts New EV Subscription Program

If you’re a longtime driver of gas-powered cars or trucks who’s intrigued by electric vehicles, it might still be difficult to actually make that leap. In fact, it makes a lot of sense — some of the knowledge you’ve amassed over the years, like the location of gas stations, might not apply with an EV. It’s a big change, and one that involves spending a significant amount of money.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising to see Hyundai explore a subscription program that lets people curious about driving an EV do so on a monthly basis. As Autoblog explained, the program lets drivers rent a Kona EV for $699 per month, or an Ioniq 5 for $899 for the same period. Roadside assistance and insurance are also included in the package, along with up to 1,000 miles each month.

Hyundai announced the new program, known as Evolve+, at the Chicago Auto Show. As of now, it’s available in six states across the country, though the automaker’s announcement doesn’t specify which states.

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The appeal of Hyundai’s Evolve+ isn’t hard to see, and I can easily imagine some potential EV buyers embracing this as a way of getting their feet wet before making a much longer commitment. And the pricing seems competitive compared to renting a car for a month through an agency.

But one area of this program likely won’t give potential EV owners a sense of what to expect. Some automakers have been adding free home chargers to the package when selling EVs. Charging at home can be more cost-effective and can be done overnight. Not having this from the beginning could subtly shift how a driver feels about driving an EV, but it would also be virtually impossible for Hyundai to set up home chargers for everyone taking part in the program.

Still, Evolve+ looks like it’s one to watch, especially to see if it boosts Hyundai’s EV profile.