It’s only a matter of months until Hyundai’s all-new battery-electric sub-brand launches with the debut of the Ioniq 5 SUV, and Hyundai has debuted the first teaser video in what is expected to be a high-profile campaign to build awareness.
The Korean carmaker currently offers two all-electric models, the Kona EV and a battery-electric version of its current Ioniq – which also is available in plug-in and hybrid versions. It is going to lift that name, much as it did with the original Genesis luxury sedan, to create an all-new brand selling BEVs exclusively.
The Ioniq 5 will be the first of three products sold through the new marque. It will be followed by two other models, the Ioniq 6 sedan coming a year later, and an SUV to be called the Ioniq 7 coming in early 2024.
The new, 30-second teaser video doesn’t actually show any of those products, but does play up some of the vehicle’s features:
- “Extra Power for Life” refers to the Ioniq 5’s bidirectional charging capability. If needed, it can be used to provide energy, say, to keep a home powered in the event of a blackout;
- “Extra Time for You,” emphasizes its longer range and quick-charge capabilities; and
The three models announced for the new Ioniq sub-brand are (l-r) the 6, 7 and 5. - “Extraordinary Experiences,” appears to tease some of the functions that will be built into the new battery-powered SUV, including its updated infotainment technology.
We’ll likely hear more about that as the teaser campaign rolls out over the coming months.
(New Hyundai unit will focus on flying cabs.)
What we already know about the Ioniq 5 is that it will be based on the sharply angled Hyundai 45 concept vehicle that was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last autumn. The name was said to refer to both the sharp, 45-degree angles of its exterior, as well as the 45 years since Hyundai introduced its first global vehicle, the Pony.
“Ioniq 5’s designers took inspiration from the past and integrated it with cutting-edge parametric pixels, a unique design element that Hyundai designers will continue to incorporate into future IONIQ models,” Hyundai said in a statement announcing the launch of the Ioniq brand last August.
Hyundai was relatively slow to embrace alternative powertrain technology but has since bet billions on migrating away from the time-tested internal combustion engine. It now offers a variety of conventional hybrids on products like the 2021 Elantra and Sonata sedans, plug-in hybrid drivetrains on models like the Ioniq, and those two BEVs.
It also is investing heavily in hydrogen technology and, this week, announced plans to set up an entirely new operation, dubbed HTWO, specifically to focus on fuel-cell vehicles including boats, trains and heavy trucks, as well as automobiles.
(Hyundai goes all-in on hydrogen with debut of new HTWO division.)
Collectively, the Hyundai Motor Group – which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, as well as the new Ioniq marque – plans to spend 104 trillion Korean won, or around $87 billion, during the next five years on the development of both electric and autonomous vehicles, EVs expected to take the lion’s share of that investment. There will be an assortment of different products coming, from conventional hybrids to all-electric models, as well as hydrogen-electric products following up on the current Nexo.
By 2025, the company has announced, it has a goal of selling 1 million battery-electric vehicles.
As for the Ioniq 6 coming in 2022, it adopts a distinctly different design language, its rounded, coupe-like sedan body directly influenced by the Hyundai Prophecy concept.
The Ioniq 5 and 6 models appear to be taking aim at the likes of the Tesla Models Y and 3, respectively, as well as other new EV offerings, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4,
The Ioniq 7, however, will be a larger crossover, with no direct link to any existing concept or production model.
(Click Here to check out Hyundai’s new E-GMP electric vehicle platform.)
All three of the planned Ioniq models will share the same new, dedicated EV platform, dubbed the E-GMP. As most competitors are now opting for, that flexible architecture will see batteries and motors mounted below the load floor in a skateboard-like chassis. The approach will not only lower the center of gravity but free up space normally dedicated to the engine compartment, translating into roomy passenger compartments.
Though Hyundai is not offering details on the E-GMP’s electrical system, there have been reports suggesting it will adopt an 800-volt architecture that allows for extremely fast charging using the latest 350 kilowatt chargers – with as much as 80% of a 300-mile battery pack in under half an hour. In keeping with the latest general trend among EV manufacturers, 300 miles is considered the likely target for the new Ioniq models, though they may also be offered with multiple battery pack options.
