Forget about the retro-look Ioniq 5. The Ioniq 6 is far more stylish, and its sleek shape means a massive range boost to go with it.
Hyundai’s first purpose-built EV was the blocky and retro Ioniq 5 crossover. Its second is something completely different — a sleek sedan named the Ioniq 6 that Hyundai calls an Electrified Streamliner. It offers more range than the Ioniq 5, without the bigger battery. It will also be the first Hyundai to offer Over-the-Air software updates for some of its key systems.
The streamliner shape is stunning, but it’s more than just a design exercise for Hyundai stylists. The shape slices through the air with a coefficient of drag of just 0.21, a figure that makes it one of the most aero-efficient vehicles on the road.
Same Battery, More Range
Using the same 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack as the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 offers significantly more electric range. Hyundai quotes an estimated electric range of 378 miles using the WTLP testing cycle. The figure is 60 miles more than the Ioniq 5, and while the U.S. EPA figures will most certainly be a few miles lower, this will end up with an impressive electric range.
Pick the 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack and you’ll also get dual-motor all-wheel drive. That means 321 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque are on tap with that one, matching the Ioniq 5.
A smaller 53.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack will be offered as well. That one will be rear-wheel drive only. Hyundai didn’t reveal horsepower figures, but it will likely be close to the 225 horses offered in the rear-drive Ioniq 5.
Ultracool Speed-Sensitive Lighting
The more powerful motors can get the Ioniq 6 to 60 miles per hour in 5.1 seconds. Those acceleration runs will be highlighted by Speed Sync Lighting, an effect designed to make the car a more emotional experience. The lights get brighter as you go faster for some Speed Racer-style fun.
Ioniq 6 will let the driver tune the experience behind the wheel. The EV Performance Tune-up feature gives the driver control over steering effort, accelerator sensitivity, and even motor power.
Fast Charging, Clever Power Use
Hyundai’s E-GMP platform allows 400-volt and 800-volt charging, allowing it to accept up to 350 kilowatts of charge. At a capable charging station and in the right conditions, this lets Ioniq 6 boost its battery from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes.
The car will come with Hyundai’s vehicle-to-load electric power supply. This gives users a 110-volt accessory outlet to charge laptops and the like. It will also come with a larger plug that uses the outside charge port to supply more power. (Think coffee maker at the campsite.) It will even charge another EV, albeit at a very gradual rate.
Though its styling departs from the Ioniq 5, the Ioniq 6 doesn’t lose the brand’s Parametric Pixels look. The head and taillights have that Ioniq signature, as do the fog lights. Inside, the steering wheel gets Parametric Pixels, and those work as context-sensitive buttons when it’s time to adjust in-car functions.
Interior Loaded With Tech
The cabin integrates a pair of 12-inch screens. One is the digital dash display and the other is the touchscreen infotainment system. They’re paired in a large bezel to make it look like one oversized screen.
Hyundai offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the system. It can also connect to a pair of phones at once over Bluetooth. This lets you use one for calls, the other for music or podcast streaming, for those who have a work and home phone — or passengers who want to play their own tunes.
Relaxation Comfort Seats for the driver and passenger recline, as Hyundai says, to “promote leisure.” We don’t think you should be engaging in leisure behind the wheel, but they do look comfortable when you’re spending some time waiting for a charge.
The seats themselves are made specifically for Hyundai’s EVs. They are 30% thinner than the brand’s standard seats, creating more space for passengers.
Ioniq 6 Arrives Early Next Year
Hyundai plans plenty of advanced driver assistance features, like its Highway Driving Assist 2 system that links adaptive cruise and lane keeping to help make highway driving a bit easier.
Forward-collision avoidance will be standard, while evasive steering assist and some other advanced features will be limited to SEL and Limited trims. More features, as well as enhancements, could come down the road thanks to Ioniq 6’s over-the-air software update feature.
This was the global reveal for the car, which means that there will be some more U.S.-specific details to come. Expect those sometime this fall, likely around the L.A. Auto Show. Production of the car for North America will start early next year, so expect Ioniq 6 at dealers by the spring of 2023.
