Hyundai IONIQ 6 logs record pre-orders in South Korea

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s top automaker, announced on Tuesday that its first fully electric sedan IONIQ 6 is enjoying record pre-orders in the country, saying its innovative design and long mileage are luring customers.

The IONIQ 6, unveiled last month, logged 37,466 pre-orders on Monday, the highest on the first day of purchase reservations for a single model in South Korea’s automobile industry, according to Hyundai.

That was higher than the previous first-day pre-order record of 23,760 units held by Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ 5 crossover.

“Customers seemed to appreciate the IONIQ 6’s innovative interior and exterior designs, excellent mileage based on the world’s best aerodynamic performance and new technologies that offer fresh electric vehicle experiences,” said a Hyundai official.

TO TRAVEL FARTHER THAN TESLA MODEL Y, MERCEDES EQS

Hyundai said the IONIQ 6 is the most efficient in power use among EVs. The sedan can travel 6.2 kilometers per kilowatt-hour (kWh), compared with the Tesla Model Y’s 5.4 km, the Polestar 2’s 4.8 km and the Mercedes EQS’ 3.8 km.

The long-range model with a 77.4 kWh battery pack can travel up to 524 km on a single charge, as approved by South Korea’s commerce ministry, according to Hyundai. That’s longer mileage than the Model Y’s 511 km, the EQS’ 478 km and the Polestar 2’s 417 km.

The IONIQ 6 has received accolades from foreign media. Auto Motor und Sport, Germany’s prestigious automobile trade magazine, said that IONIQ 6’s low chassis reduces air resistance and improves mileage.

Hyundai plans to begin mass production of the IONIQ 6 at a factory in Asan, South Korea, in the third quarter and take it to the global market, starting with Europe, later this year. The EV will go on sale in the US in the first half of next year.

Write to Han-Shin Park at phs@hankyung.com
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.