Hyundai Motor Co. has elevated the Ioniq car model name to brand status, dedicating it to battery-electric vehicles. Under the Ioniq brand, the company wants to offer customer-centric EV experiences centered on connected lifestyle solutions in line with its “Progress for Humanity” smart-mobility vision. The creation of the brand is in response to what it says is fast-growing market demand and is an attempt to accelerate its plan to lead the global EV market. The effort will combine its current EV capabilities with future innovations that combine design, technologies, and services to integrate in-car and out-of-car experiences for a seamless journey.
“With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an eco-friendly lifestyle,” said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Co.
A long-term research and development project focused on eco-friendly mobility resulted in Hyundai introducing in 2016 its first Ioniq vehicle, what it says was the world’s first and only model to offer a choice of three electrified powertrain options—hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric—within a single body type.
The company wants to leverage its “industry-leading manufacturing know-how in EVs” to introduce three dedicated models over the next four years, with more to follow. The range of numerically named EVs under the new brand will use even numbers for sedans and odd numbers for SUVs.
The first model, the Ioniq 5 midsize CUV launching in early 2021, is based on the Concept 45, which Hyundai unveiled at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) 2019. A homage to Hyundai’s first concept car, designers took inspiration from the past and integrated it with cutting-edge parametric pixels, a unique design element that will continue into future Ioniq models. The next model will come in 2022, the Ioniq 6 sedan based on the company’s Prophecy concept EV unveiled in March. The Ioniq 7, a large SUV in early 2024. Ioniq vehicles’ designs will have a common theme of “Timeless Value,” being inspired by past models but will be a bridge to the future.
The Ioniq models will be based on an Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and have fast-charging capability and plentiful driving range. The EV-dedicated platform will allow a reimagining of the vehicles’ interior as a “smart living space” with highly adjustable seats, wireless connectivity, and unique features such as gloveboxes designed as drawers. User interfaces will be simple, intuitive, and ergonomically designed to help occupants feel at ease.
Hyundai launched Ioniq by turning the London Eye into a giant letter “Q” using electric lights just before the official reopening of the famous attraction.
