Launching IONIQ 5, Hyundai Wants To Redefine Its Electric Mobility Lifestyle

Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)

JAKARTA - South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor has launched the IONIQ 5 electric crossover vehicle, the first car to be produced based on the E-GMP electric vehicle (EV) platform.

Given that the platform will be used for many Hyundai and Kia EV cars, the launch of IONIQ 5 and the market response to it will play an important role in Hyundai Motor Group's ambition to become a leader in the global EV market.

"With IONIQ 5, we strive to be a top brand that leads the global EV market," said Hyundai Motor CEO Chang Jae-hoon in an online press conference launched Koreatimes.

"With this vehicle, we want to provide a unique customer experience and lead the way in the mobility business of the future," he continued.

IONIQ 5 is the first car from the IONIQ brand specifically EV Hyundai Motor. Starting with its midsize crossover model, the company will introduce the IONIQ 6 midsize electric sedan next year and the large SUV IONIQ 7 in 2024.

Hyundai IONIQ 5 interior. (Source: Hyundai)

Because the IONIQ 5 is built on a distinctive EV design platform, it has unique proportions for wheelbase and overhang, and provides a level floor.

The vehicle is 4.64 meters long, which is similar to the company's Tucson midsize crossover but has a wheelbase of 3 meters, which is 50 centimeters longer than Hyundai Motor's flagship Palisade SUV. It provides a spacious cabin, which is described by chief Hyundai Motor designer Lee Sang-yup as an innovation in space.

Since the platform allows the floor of the vehicle to be level, Hyundai Motor places a 14 centimeter rear retractable center console to provide more freedom of movement in the vehicle.

The IONIQ 5 comes in two power configurations, a remote model with a 72.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a standard model with a 58-kilowatt-hour package. The long-range model can go up to 430 kilometers on a single charge by Korean standard sizes.

Legal cabin. (Source: Hyundai)

The 72.6-kilowatt-hour battery can produce a combined power output of 225 kilowatt-hours and 605 Newton-meters of torque on the four-wheel variant, enabling this model to reach 100 kilometers per hour in 5.2 seconds.

Improvements were also made to charging. When using a 350-kilowatt fast charger, the battery will charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 18 minutes, and users can drive up to 100 kilometers after five minutes of charging.

Another interesting feature of this electric vehicle is the vehicle to load function, a feature that allows the customer to freely use or charge any electric device, such as an electric bicycle, scooter, or camping equipment, using a 220-volt electrical outlet.

Hyundai Motor said it would begin pre-orders for South Korea on February 25. The company did not disclose the exact price range. What is clear, the target is that this vehicle can sell 26,500 units in South Korea and 70,000 units in the global market by the end of next year.

If nothing gets in the way, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 will be mass-produced at the Hyundai Ulsan plant starting next month, and deliveries will begin in Europe first, followed by Korea and the US.