Built on a dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform, the IONIQ 5 offers up a new motoring experience in a sustainably designed cabin.
Hyundai has revealed the first production model in their new IONIQ brand dedicated to BEVs, the IONIQ 5. Built upon Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) dedicated for BEVs, the IONIQ 5 is a preview of future electric vehicles in Hyundai’s future.
The futuristic styling is a throwback to the Hyundai Pony from 1975, which was Hyundai’s very first production vehicle. Much has changed for Hyundai in 45 years – from churning out budget hatchbacks, to producing cutting-edge electric vehicles.
on the outside.
Aerodynamic efficiency is the order of the day, with the IONIQ 5’s exterior optimised to be as slippery as possible. There’s a clamshell bonnet (Hyundai’s first!) to minimise panel gaps, while below it sits the front bumper that incorporates a V-shaped LED DRL cluster.
Down the side, the IONIQ 5 gets retractable door handles that tuck back into the doors for a flush fit, similar to what you’d get on a Tesla Model S or Mercedes-Benz SLS. It’s hard to ignore the massive aero-optimised 20-inch wheels, necessitated by the IONIQ 5’s sizeable 3 metre wheelbase.
on the inside.
If you think the exterior of the IONIQ 5 is already futuristic enough, the interior will blow you away. Being designed on the E-GMP base means that any preconceptions you have about vehicle interiors can be abandoned. For starters, there’s a completely flat floor, which allowed Hyundai designers to apply a ‘Living Space’ theme to the interior. It centres around elements such as ‘Universal Island’, which sound more appropriate in an interior design proposal rather than a vehicle catalogue.
Before you think that you’ve stumbled into a kitchen remodelling website by accident, I’ll just clarify that ‘Universal Island’ refers to the moveable centre console. This sits between the two front seats, and doubles up both as an armrest and storage area. What’s cool though, is that it slides back as much as 14 cm, allowing adjustments to meet changing space requirements.
Eco-friendliness is the name of the game, and not just because the IONIQ 5 is an EV. Much of the stuff passengers will interact with, such as the seats, headliner, door trim, and armrest, are eco-friendly. Hyundai has chosen sustainably sourced materials such as recycled PET bottles, plant-based yarns, and eco-processed leather.
To go a step further, customers have the option of equipping the car with a roof covered in solar panels. In sunny climates such as ours, Hyundai says that the solar roof can help extend range by up to 2,000km per year – that’s nearly 5.5km extra per day, courtesy of the sun!
batteries and drivetrain.
Two battery options are available at launch; the Standard Range with a 58 kWh battery, or the Long Range with a 72.6 kWh battery. You’ll also get to pick between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the latter using a pair of electric motors that drive one end of the car each. The 2WD 72.6 kWh model is predicted to have a 480km, with official range to be revealed after testing completes.
Charging the battery with a 350 kW charger gets it from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes. If you’re in a rush, a quick 5 minute juice-up will net you an impressive 100km of range!
Details on when the IONIQ 5 will reach our shores haven’t yet been released. However, it’s likely that a local launch will be announced before 2021 ends.
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