Hyundai ready to plug in the new Ioniq 5

HYUNDAI Motor Company (HMC) has ripped the covers off its hotly anticipated new Ioniq 5 electric SUV, the first model to emerge from its dedicated new electric-vehicle (EV) sub-brand.

Brandishing almost all of the funky styling cues as seen on the concept vehicle, the Ioniq 5 resembles nothing in the current HMC or wider Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) portfolio with a surprisingly boxy and angular design for an EV, putting us in mind of the old Lancia Delta Integrale.

Stretched over a 3000mm wheelbase, the boxy Ioniq 5 measures 4635mm long, 1890mm wide and 1605mm tall with boot space rated at 531 litres with the rear seats in place, a figure which expands to 1591L when folded flat.

The front end is dominated by the inherent lack of any grilles/intakes save for the imitation one backing and linking the quad-LED headlights which is actually solid and blanked off under closer inspection.

A contrasting silver bumper and trim insert adds some extra detail, as do the pair of sharp contour lines riding up from the outer edges of the bumper to the headlights, complemented by a similar set of lines above the bonnet line.

It is from the side where the strongest correlations between the 5 and Delta can be seen, with the former sporting similar chunky front wings, a thin A-pillar, B-pillar and roofline, chunky and sloping C-pillar as well as busy alloy wheels, sloping tailgate with low-set tail-lights and integrated roof spoiler.

You could be forgiven for almost mistaking the 5 for a modern take on the classic Lancia from some angles, especially this one.

Things vary more when looking squarely from behind with the 5 sporting small quad LED tail-lights complementing the headlight design and a sizeable rear bumper finished almost entirely in silver to emphasise its SUV identity.

While the local range and specifications are yet to be finalised, four versions will be offered globally, consisting of two ‘long range’ and two ‘standard range’ variants, each with the option of all- or rear-wheel drive.

Starting at the bottom of the range, the standard range variants will be powered by a 58kWh lithium-ion battery however their effective range is yet to be confirmed – so far only the range for the RWD long range version has been revealed, at 470-480km.

In standard range RWD guise, the 5’s single rear axle-mounted electric motor develops 125kW/350Nm, enough to propel it from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds with all versions sharing the same 185km/h top speed.

The AWD version ups the ante significantly both in terms of power and performance with its twin motor (one on each axle) developing 173kW/605Nm, slashing the 0-100km/h time to 6.1 seconds.

Compared to their respective standard range counterparts, the long range variants offer significantly more power and performance – as well as range – courtesy of their considerably bigger batteries.

For the RWD, the extra juice translates to 160kW/350Nm and a 0-100km/h time of 7.4 seconds while the AWD proves the gruntiest of the lot with 225kW/605Nm on tap and a sprint time of just 5.2s.

When the batteries become depleted, HMC says the batteries can support both 400V and 800V charging infrastructures without the need for adaptors.

Hooking the 5 up to a 350kW fast charger will charge the battery from 10-80 per cent in a claimed 18 minutes while five minutes of charge can reportedly add 100km of range.

In the event of a power outage or in the absence of a reliable power source, the system can also supply up to 3.6kW of power through the integrated Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function.

Much like the exterior design, the interior of the 5 follows a boxy and straight line-based theme with the star attraction being the floating dashboard.

Given the lack of a traditional transmission, the cabin is devoid of the classic transmission tunnel and subsequent centre console, meaning the dash itself is segregated from the rest of the interior.

Instead, the centre console is comprised of a low-set open storage bin, a pair of cupholders and floating centre armrest.

The dash itself features a Mercedes-Benz style dual-screen layout for the driver’s display and infotainment system (both 12 inches in diameter), the latter of which is perched on top of the classic HMC system shortcut buttons and climate controls.

Save for the aforementioned screens, standard equipment highlights on the 5 include Bluelink connected car services, dynamic voice recognition, sustainably sourced interior trim and upholstery and an augmented reality head-up display – market-specific details will be revealed closer to launch.

The standard safety and driver assistance systems however have been detailed in full and fittingly for a modern vehicle, there are plenty.

Forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, safe exit assist, intelligent speed limit assist, driver attention warning, high beam assist, a surround-view monitor, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, parking collision-avoidance assist, highway driving assist 2 and remote smart parking assist are all included as standard along with the usual array of airbags and cameras.

HMC global chief marketing officer Thomas Schemera said the Ioniq 5 would “accommodate lifestyles without limits” and provide a new EV experience.

Following the launch of the 5, HMC will launch the Ioniq 6 sedan and then the 7 large SUV however the exact timing of either is still to be confirmed.