Hyundai launches IONIQ EV brand

Hyundai Motor Company has established a stand-alone electric vehicle sub-brand called IONIQ.

Slightly confusingly, the Hyundai electrified model already sold under that name won’t migrate to the new brand.

Instead, the IONIQ sub-brand will launch three all-new models over the next four years, all of them based on Hyundai’s new E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) architecture.

Hyundai Australia has put its hand up for IONIQ: “We’re studying it for the market and we will be taking whatever we can get our hands on,” a spokesman said.

Separately, carsales sources familiar with plans for IONIQ indicated IONIQ would make it to Australia. If so it should make for a complex offering in Hyundai showrooms.

The Korean giant will offer EVs based on production models such as the Kona EV, the IONIQ model, the IONIQ brand and potentially, electrified models from HMC’s performance sub-brand, N, including a supercar being developed with Rimac.

Hyundai celebrated the Ioniq launch by turning the London Eye into a giant letter ‘Q’ with electric lights, but has yet to state where it will first be sold.

Presumably Europe is on the list, along with the USA, China and its home market Korea.

The first model to roll out will be the IONIQ 5 in early 2021, a mid-size crossover based on the Hyundai concept 45 that debuted at Frankfurt in 2019.

In 2022 comes the IONIQ 6 sedan, which will be based on Hyundai’s latest EV concept, the Prophecy, that was unveiled last March.

The third confirmed model is the IONIQ 7, a large SUV that launches in early 2024.

Hyundai promises the Ioniq range will continue to expand with “more innovative models” beyond that date.

While no powertrain specifics are supplied, Hyundai says the E-GMP architecture will deliver the Ioniq models fast charging capability and “plentiful” driving range.

That range is understood to be at least 450km, while the E-GMP platform will have an 800-volt system allowing 350kW DC fast charging, cutting battery recharging time to less than 20 minutes.

“The EV-dedicated platform will allow Hyundai to reimagine the vehicle interior as a smart living space with highly adjustable seats, wireless connectivity and unique features such as a glove box designed as drawers,” the Hyundai announcement added.

“The platform paradigm shift will extend into the user interfaces that will be simple, intuitive and ergonomically designed to help occupants feel at ease.”

The IONIQ experience will go beyond the car itself, Hyundai promises.

“The Ioniq brand will change the paradigm of EV customer experience,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an eco-friendly lifestyle.”

Quite what that entails we’re not sure yet, but you can be sure smart device connectivity and innovations like vehicle to grid (V2G) charging will figure in there somewhere.

HMC says the launch of IONIQ will help the over-arching Hyundai Motor Group – which also includes Kia Motors Corporation and Genesis luxury brand – achieve its aim of selling one million units of battery electric vehicles and take a 10 per cent share to become a leader in the global EV field by 2025.

Under Strategy 2025, HMC brand including Ioniq and N will account for 560,000 of those EV sales, leaving the rest pretty much for Kia. Genesis, a sales minnow, will launch its first EV in 2021.

HMC is expected to launch around a dozen new EV models between now and 2025 and the Hyundai group 44 EVs and hybrids. It also plans to be selling thousands fuel cell vehicles by then.

Hyundai introduced the term IONIQ – a fusion of ion and unique – when it announced a long term research and development project dubbed Project IONIQ and introduced the IONIQ family of mild and plug-in hybrid and BEV five-door hatches.

They reached Australia in 2018. The Hyundai Kona EV arrived in 2019.