Hyundai did its homework. The Korean automaker officially unveiled the IONIQ 5, a revolutionary electric vehicle and the first product under its IONIQ sub-brand. The IONIQ 5 has an advanced AR heads-up display, can travel nearly 300 miles on a charge, and can power refrigerators, microwaves, camping gear, and other appliances from a power adapter.
Design-wise, the IONIQ 5 builds on Hyundai’s “45” concept EV unveiled in 2019. It’s a futuristic hatchback with a cozy interior, a moveable center console, two driver displays, and a grill-less front end (most EV manufacturers stick fake grills on their cars). Hyundai says that the IONIQ 5 is inspired by South Korea’s first mass-produced and exported car, the classic Hyundai Pony, and you can see some similarities in the cars’ design language (especially the interior).
But unlike the Hyundai Pony, which failed emissions guidelines and never released in the US, the IONIQ 5 reeks of sustainability. Its interior is made of eco-friendly PET and recycled materials, and its roof is fitted with a solar panel which should help extend your battery life, especially if you park outdoors.
You and I might call the IONIQ 5 a hatchback, but Hyundai calls it a CUV (crossover utility vehicle). This is thanks to its unique two-way charging system, which allows you to power appliances from your car. The IONIQ 5 has two 3.6kW V2L ports to provide external power to appliances. While most people will use this feature for camping or running PA systems, it could also come in handy when your power goes out.
IONIQ 5 is the first vehicle built on Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), meaning that it’s good for 300 miles on a single charge and supports both 400V and 800V charging. With a 350kW charger, the IONIQ 5 can charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, and you only need to charge for 5 minutes to get an extra 62 miles of range. Customers can choose between 58kWh or 72.6kWh batteries and rear-only or all-wheel drive. The smaller battery has about 200 miles of travel, while the larger battery can go at least 270 miles.
Hyundai says the IONIQ 5 will go on sale in select regions (probably Korea and parts of Europe) during the first half of 2021. While there’s no official word on pricing, rumors suggest that the IONIQ 5 will start somewhere in the $30,000 range and extend to the $40,000 or $50,000 range when you pay for the bigger battery, the all-wheel drive, and add-on features.
Source: Hyundai via electrek, Wirecutter
