Hyundai Courts ‘EV Curious’ Customers With New Evolve+ Subscription Service

Hyundai makes some of the most affordable battery-powered cars, but it’s still hard to part with ~$40,000 if you’ve never driven or owned an EV before. Why not stay safe, stick with gas, and make sure the investment is 100% worth it?

That’s the kind of thinking Hyundai hopes to get ahead of with its new month-to-month subscription program. Announced at the Chicago Auto Show today, the service runs on the Evolve+ mobile app. Customers can download the app, choose between a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kona Electric, and pick it up at a local dealer.

Hyundai Evolve+ mobile app experience
(Credit: Hyundai)

“With no paperwork, no commitment and no long-term loan, Evolve+ is an optimal solution for the ‘EV curious’ car shopper,” says Olabisi Boyle, VP of product planning and mobility strategy at Hyundai Motor North America. “We are hoping that by offering a subscription-based option, we will increase EV adoption and awareness as customers transition into an EV future.”

Subscription services, as opposed to multi-year lease commitments, have become a new category of vehicle rental as electric vehicles become a higher percentage of new car sales. PCMag recently tried out another subscription service, Autonomy, which has a similar mobile app for month-to-month Tesla rentals (other vehicles coming soon). Borrow(Opens in a new window) is another EV-only subscription service option.

Olabisi Boyle, VP of product planning and mobility strategy, with PCMag’s Emily Dreibelbis.
(Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

But whereas Autonomy and Borrow are unaffiliated with any particular car brand, Hyundai’s Evolve+ program features a legacy automaker adopting new sales techniques to bridge the gap between consumers’ exposure to EVs and their interest in them. Another hurdle: EVs are generally more expensive than gas-powered cars, though the Hyundai Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 are considered among the most affordable at $33,550 and $41,450, respectively.

“As we know, living with an EV is really an educational process,” said Gary Rome, president of Gary Rome Hyundai and an Evolve+ pilot dealer. “Evolve+ gives our customers the opportunity to try an electric vehicle and see if it is right for their lifestyle.”

Price comparison between buying and leasing an Ioniq 5, a typical car rental, and Evolve+.
(Credit: Hyundai)

The Evolve+ subscription service covers 1,000 miles, insurance, maintenance, registration, and road-side assistance. It costs $699 per month for a Kona Electric and $899 per month for an Ioniq 5. That’s higher than a multi-year lease agreement, which runs at about $650 for a 2023 Ioniq 5, but it’s less money down and customers have just a one-month minimum commitment.

If you like your vehicle at the end of the subscription, Hyundai will lease or sell it to you. The program is currently available in the six states and seven dealerships listed below. Hyundai has been working with them on Evolve+ for a year, and it expects to expand the program’s reach to roughly 400 dealers over the next year as they add EV equipment like chargers.