Hyundai IONIQ priced from $22K in US
Hyundai announces North American pricing for IONIQ hybrid and EV, but Australian plans still unclearUS-based Hyundai customers will be able to buy the new hybrid variant of the ground-breaking IONIQ from just $US22,200. And the full EV version will hit the North American market at just under $US30,000.
That’s the news that was announced overnight at the first US media test drives of Hyundai’s new dedicated ‘e-mobility’ model – coincidentally at the same time motoring.com.au was driving examples in Korea.
Meantime, Hyundai Australia is still to publicly announce its plans for the IONIQ range Down Under.
IONIQ is claimed to be the first vehicle in the world to “offer three distinct electrified powertrains on a single, dedicated vehicle platform”.
Under Hyundai’s plans for the five-door hatch, the petrol-electric IONIQ Hybrid, the 50km-range IONIQ Plug-in Hybrid and the battery-only IONIQ Electric models can be sold alongside each other in left and right-hand drive markets across the globe.
It’s unclear still, however, whether all three will make it Down Under.
“The [legislative] environment doesn’t do hybrid and EV vehicles any favours in Australia,” a Hyundai spokesperson told motoring.com.au this week.
“We are still considering which rein to pull on IONIQ,” they said.
Hyundai has commenced production of both the Electric and Hybrid, with the Plug-in to follow. The IONIQ Hybrid is on sale now in the US, where the Plug-in is imminent and the Electric arrives on sale by mid-year.
motoring.com.au believes Hyundai Australia has committed to the pure EV version but is still debating the relative merits of the cheaper Hybrid or more technically advanced Plug-in variant.
No Plug-in pricing has been announced in the USA yet.
The IONIQ Electric’s US-market $29,500 price tag is especially noteworthy. Although it will balloon when destination and other charges are levied on US customers, generous state and federal government EV subsidies will make the purchase attractive for many.
No such incentives exist for low-emission or EV buyers in Australia, where Toyota retails its Prius hybrid from $A35,690, but does not sell the plug-in version.
Hyundai Australia’s pricing is considered as some of the most aggressive in the Korean giant’s network. Using the US pricing as a benchmark, the IONIQ Hybrid and IONIQ Electric therefore have the potential to arrive Down Under as two of the most affordable green cars ever.
2017 Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid pricing in the US:
Blue — $22,200
SEL — $23,950
Limited — $27,500
2017 Hyundai IONIQ Electric pricing in the US:
Electric — $29,500
Limited — $32,500
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