The car designed to kickstart Hyundai’s new Ioniq brand will have Tesla-rivalling range and all-wheel drive.

    Set to touch down in Australia during 2021, the Ioniq 5 will offer up to 550km of all-electric range on the tougher WLTP test with the larger 73kWh battery option, and 450km with the smaller 58kWh battery according to Korean Car Blog.

    Tesla claims the Model 3 Standard Range will cover 490km on a charge.

    Details published by Hyundai Austria and reported by KCB show the Ioniq 5 will have dual-motor all-wheel drive when it launches, and a combined 230kW of power. It’ll be good for a 5.2-second sprint to 100km/h.

    Measuring 4630mm long, 1890mm wide and 1600mm tall on a 3000mm wheelbase, the Ioniq 5 is identical in length to the new Tucson and 15mm wider, although the electric car has a lower roofline by 65mm and a 245mm longer wheelbase.

    Expect the Ioniq range to be sold through regular Hyundai dealerships, not a standalone network of showrooms like luxury offshoot Genesis.

    It’ll be followed by the Ioniq 6, a sedan based on the slinky Prophecy concept, in 2022. The Ioniq 7 is a large SUV, and will launch in 2024. Hyundai has confirmed to CarExpert the full Ioniq range will make its way to Australia.

    Underpinning the new electric family is the Hyundai Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).

    Unlike the modified internal-combustion platform underpinning the Ioniq range, Kona Electric, and related Kia e-Niro, the E-GMP is dedicated to battery-electric vehicles.

    The rear-wheel drive Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) supports batteries big enough for more than 500km of range, and supports motors that’ll propel it to 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds.

    Hyundai plans to introduce 23 battery-electric cars and sell 1 million examples by 2025.

    Like the Porsche Taycan, the e-GMP platform will make use of an 800V architecture for ultra-rapid charging at up to 350kW. That means an 80 per cent charge in just 18 minutes, or up to 100km of range in just five minutes connected to the right kind of charger.

    The new Ioniq range will be a core part of Hyundai’s push to own 10 per cent of the global electric vehicle market by 2025.

    Scott Collie

    Scott Collie is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Scott studied journalism at RMIT University and, after a lifelong obsession with everything automotive, started covering the car industry shortly afterwards. He has a passion for travel, and is an avid Melbourne Demons supporter.

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