SOUTH KOREA REPORT
Hyundai Motor Company unveiled in July its flagship EV model, the IONIQ 6, that has a driving range of 6.2 kilometers per kilowatt-hour, a 20% increase over the current 5 model. The cruising range was also increased by 22% to 524 kilometers or 326 miles, (based on Korean government certification standards). Hyundai Motor claims that its EVs have the world’s highest level of electricity consumption efficiency.
The company called the IONIQ 6 “a ‘mobile personal studio,’ a space where you can rest and relax on your own. It offers a new experience that is different from existing EVs.”
In Korea, pre-orders will begin in late July, with shipments starting in September. Pricing will start at 55 million won (approximately 5.8 million yen), and sales are expected to reach 12,000 units by the end of the year. It will be released in Europe by the end of the year and in the US in the first half of 2023. Sales in Japan have not yet been decided. The newly announced “6” has a lighter body, and the cruising range has been extended by improving the energy-saving performance of the drive components and semiconductors.
Source: Nikkei
PSR Analysis: The IONIQ series has already won very high acclaim as Hyundai’s global flagship EV. The previous hatchback model, the IONIQ5, has won many awards in several countries. One reason for its popularity is its consumer convenience. For example, it comes standard with an adapter that allows the car to draw 100 VAC power from the charging port, making it possible to cook food outdoors on a hot plate or in an electric pot without having to build a charcoal fire.
The newly released IONIQ6 is a 4-door coupe. 0 to 100km/h acceleration is possible in 5.1 seconds. The battery has a large storage capacity of 77.4 kWh, and a 350 kW quick charger can charge a battery with a 10% charge rate to 80% of the same level in 18 minutes.
Until now, EVs have been evaluated based on whether or not they can replace conventional engine-powered vehicles in terms of performance, but in the future, it may become important to propose new ways of using automobiles that were not possible with conventional engine-powered vehicles. The IONIQ6 announced this time is a model that strongly reflects such thinking of Hyundai Motor Company. PSR
Akihiro Komuro is Research Analyst, Far East and Southeast Asia, for Power Systems Research
