Buyers can expect premium standards from an Ioniq electric vehicle more so than Hyundai's more affordable EV models, it says.
Electric Cars
The Ioniq name is now a sub-brand, according to Hyundai, denoting cars with “more premium” features and capabilities compared to its other electric vehicles.
The original Hyundai Ioniq electric car arrived in Australia in 2018 following its global debut two years earlier.
However, the budget-focused EV, which was also available with hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, was discontinued in 2022 to make way for the arrival of the futuristic-looking Ioniq 5 SUV.
Four years later, and the Ioniq 5 has been joined by a high-performance N version, as well as the Ioniq 6 sedan and Ioniq 9 large SUV. The Ioniq 6 N is due in Australia in the first half of this year.
Asked what makes these vehicles distinct from Hyundai’s other EVs – the Inster, Kona and new Elexio – Product Development Manager, Tim Rodgers, said they are more premium.
“They have a more premium feature set within them,” he told Australian media, including Drive.
"It’s a global product planning decision. It is almost like a sub-brand within the brand, where they have a full line-up of vehicles that are from the upcoming Ioniq 3 all the way to the Ioniq 9.
“They are probably positioned a little more premium than some of the Hyundai name models.”
According to Rodgers, key differences include the platform underpinning Ioniq models being more capable than Hyundai’s more affordable EVs.
The Ioniq 5, 6 and 9 all ride on the Hyundai Group’s 800V E-GMP platform, offering faster charging. Theoretically, they can charge at 350kW in as little as 18 minutes.
The high-voltage system reduces weight, boosts efficiency, and allows for consistent high-performance driving.
The Hyundai Elexio, in contrast, rides on a scaled-down 400V version of E-GMP and can charge at up to 150kW in around 38 minutes.
The Inster and Kona, meanwhile, don’t use dedicated EV platforms at all. The Inster uses a modified version of the K1 platform that underpins the Hyundai Casper overseas, and the Kona is underpinned by the K3, also found on the Kia Niro.
Both are still 400V platforms, but adapted from use within internal combustion-engined models.
Rodgers says this also has some less obvious knock-on effects that give Ioniq models their edge.
“There are more features within the platform, say, for example, hypothetically, the V2X, V2G and V2L functionalities are different and then just performance levels as well,” he said.
Asked by Drive whether having more luxurious Hyundai models steps on the toes of Hyundai’s dedicated premium brand, Genesis, Rodgers said some cars had already started trending that way.
“Our Calligraphy offerings in Santa Fe and all of that have kind of straddled that zone for a while now. So we've kind of got a lot of different tiers of Hyundai available within the Group.”
Hyundai electric vehicle and Ioniq pricing:
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs unless marked as drive-away.
Hyundai “premium” model pricing:
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A born-and-bred newshound, Kathryn has worked her way up through the ranks reporting for, and later editing, two renowned UK regional newspapers and websites, before moving on to join the digital newsdesk of one of the world’s most popular newspapers – The Sun. More recently, she’s done a short stint in PR in the not-for-profit sector, and led the news team at Wheels Media.
