Hyundai Reportedly Delaying Ioniq 6 to Increase Battery Size

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

As consumers focus on the official on-sale date of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 later this fall, Hyundai appears to be putting a lot more attention on its second electric vehicle in the line — the Ioniq 6. When Hyundai announced its new Ioniq sub-brand, the automaker stated that the Ioniq 6 would come out in spring 2022. Now, according to a report by Green Car Reports, that date could be pushed back by a few months.

Ioniq 6 Coming Later

The outlet, citing information it found on The Korea Economic Daily, claims that the launch date for the upcoming Ioniq 6 is being pushed back by two to three months. The new date for the Ioniq 6's launch is now being targeted for May or June 2022. Anonymous sources with access to internal documents provided the information.

One of the reasons for the delay is Hyundai's decision to increase the electric vehicle's battery pack. Originally, the Ioniq 6 was expected to arrive with a 72.6-kWh battery pack. Now, the electric car is rumored to be getting a 77.4-kWh pack. The larger battery pack matches the one that will be offered with the Ioniq 5. The outlet claims that the larger battery pack will increase range to 310 miles. The move makes sense as both vehicles use Hyundai's E-GMP platform.

Additionally, rumors also indicate that the Ioniq 6 could arrive with updated styling. Inside EVs reports that Hyundai is planning to update the electric car's front and rear bumpers. The automaker will also be adding a "lighting grille" that will allow the Ioniq 6 to communicate with other vehicles and pedestrians.

Focusing On The Concept

In a statement to Green Car Reports, Hyundai Motor America officially stated that the "Ioniq 6's product launch schedule and specifications have not been decided yet."

There's another thing that could play a role in the Ioniq 6's delay — the automaker's plan to temporarily shut down its Asan plant. The shutdown has been extended by two months to January 2022. While not the sole reason for the Ioniq 6's delay, the plant shutdown could mean that Hyundai has to focus on other models before going all-in on manufacturing the Ioniq 6.

From the sound of the changes, it seems like Hyundai is trying to make the Ioniq 6 closer to the Prophecy Concept that was used to preview what the electric car would look like. That's certainly not a bad thing, as the Prophecy Concept was a sleek, upscale, and high-tech concept. If anything, we think taking a few extra months to come out with a better product will be well worth it for Hyundai.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods