The long-awaited Hyundai Ioniq 6 has finally been unveiled and first impressions are really positive. The design is based on the Prophecy prototype first shown in 2020 and luckily, the overall shape has made it to the production model and most of the details are retained.
Many have praised the Ioniq 6’s fast roofline, curved front end, and ducktail spoiler which blend design elements of the Porsche Taycan and first-generation Mercedes-Benz CLS.
Pixel-style lighting components from the Prophecy Concept are translated into the production model. Hyundai’s new H badge makes its debut on the Ioniq 6, along with more than 700 “parametric pixels” on the vehicle.
Similar to the Ioniq 5, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is built on the E-GMP platform. The Ioniq 6’s electric driving range, however, should be larger than that of the Ioniq 5. The Ioniq 6 has a much better aerodynamic performance with Cd 0.21 which beats the Tesla Model 3 and matches the Lucid Air. This level of aerodynamics will add to the range quite substantial numbers. In addition, the Ioniq 6 is longer at 4,855mm and narrower at 1,880 mm and not as tall at 1,495 mm.
It is anticipated that the new Ioniq 6 would have two AWD versions, Standard and Long Range, as it shares many similarities with its sibling, the Ioniq 5 which received the World Car Award. It is likely that there will be a 58 kWh battery pack and two electric motors in the Standard version which are projected to produce 173 kW (235 hp) of total power, while the long-range 77 kW battery will be available with 225 kW (306 hp) twin electric motors. The torque in both variants will be 605 Nm.
According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 6 should be able to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes since the battery is built on an 800-volt design. As with the Ioniq 5, the 6 should feature bi-directional charging that can supply power to a house or while camping.
Hyundai refers to the interior as “living space”. There are plenty of eco-friendly materials and recycled fabrics used. From the outside, you might assume that the interior would be small and cramped, yet the contrary is true; even for people who are six feet tall, there is plenty of headroom.
Two 12″ screens are concealed under a single piece of glass on the dashboard. There’s a separate control panel for heating and air-conditioning. A large center console with plenty of storage and wireless phone charging is located high between the front seats. The window switches have moved from the doors to the middle, where the driver and passenger can easily access them.
The steering wheel is a 2-spoke retro design with 4 LEDs (morse code for the letter H, the Hyundai trademark) which show progress of charging when the vehicle is plugged in, they also light up to mimic the response of the car when the driver employs voice control. Configurable ambient interior lighting will come standard, with the light softly diffused over the interior surfaces.
Early in 2023, the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 will go on sale. The Ioniq 6’s price is not yet known, but the Ioniq 5 starts at $41,245 (destination included), so expect the 6 to be higher while still aiming to be less expensive than the Tesla Model 3’s $48,440. Hyundai promises more details if the sleek sedan will be released on July 14th.