Hyundai Launches IONIQ as a Futuristic New Electric Brand

author: Eric Walz   

The fully-electric Ioniq 5 crossover will be the first vehicle launched under the Hyundai's new IONIQ electric brand.

With electric automaker Tesla the world's most valuable car company right now, global automakers are making plans to catch up by launching new electric vehicles. General Motors, for example, is turning Cadillac into an electric-only brand, now South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co is launching a new electric brand of its own.

The automaker will produce electric vehicles under a new brand named IONIQ, named after its current model that only comes in either hybrid, purely-electric and as a plug-in hybrid. Hyundai plans to introduce three new electric models under the IONIQ nameplate.

Hyundai is aiming to become one of the world's top three manufacturers of battery-powered vehicles. The company aims to sell 1 million electric vehicles each year to take a 10% share of electric vehicle sales to become a leader in the global market by 2025.

To start, Hyundai will introduce three new dedicated models over the next four years with more models to follow. The creation of IONIQ brand is in response to fast-growing market demand for electric vehicles and accelerates Hyundai's plan to lead the global EV market.

Hyundai's IONIQ brand will feature futuristic electric models.

The first IONIQ model will be the Ioniq 5, a midsize all-electric crossover based on the futuristic 45 concept unveiled in Sept 2019 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. This will be followed in 2022 by the Ioniq 6 sedan, which will be based on the automaker's bold Prophecy concept. To round out the electric lineup the Ioniq 7 will arrive in 2024 in the form of a full-size battery-powered SUV.

Hyundai will combine its current EV capabilities, including ultra-fast charging, roomy interiors with future innovations that combine design, advanced technologies and digital services.

"The IONIQ brand will change the paradigm of EV customer experience," said Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. "With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an eco-friendly lifestyle." 

All of the models will be built on the automaker's Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The E-GMP that will support DC fast charging capability and extended driving ranges.

The Ioniq 6 sedan will launch in 2022 and will be based on Hyundai's Prophecy concept unveiled last year.

The modular dedicated EV platform will allow Hyundai to reimagine the vehicle interior as "smart living space" with highly adjustable seats, wireless connectivity and unique features such as a glove box designed as drawers, the company said. The reimagined interior will also feature user interfaces that will be simple and intuitive, with an ergonomic design to help occupants feel at ease. 

Hyundai first introduced the term IONIQ, which fuses "ion" and "unique", when it announced Project IONIQ, a long-term research and development project focused on zero emissions vehicles. Based on that project, Hyundai introduced a vehicle named "IONIQ" in 2016. The Hyundai IONIQ was the world's first vehicle to offer three electrified powertrain options – hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid and battery electric – within a single body type. 

Now the IONIQ nameplate will represent Hyundai's growing commitment to electrification and innovation.

For electric automaker Tesla, a company that pioneered the auto industry's move towards electrification, Hyundai's new IONIQ electric brand is likely to become a serious competitor.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.