Hyundai to delay launch of IONIQ 6 for redesign, longer mileage

Hyundai Motor Co. will delay the much-anticipated launch of the IONIQ 6, the top South Korean automaker’s second all-electric vehicle on an exclusive EV platform, for a significant redesign and longer mileage to appeal to young, trendy drivers.

According to industry sources on Aug. 16, Hyundai has decided to postpone the production of the IONIQ 6 by two to three months until May or June 2022.

A delay by two months to January in the planned temporary shutdown of its Asan plant to overhaul the facility to makes IONIQ EVs instead of the current mid-size Sonata sedans is another reason, the sources said.

Citing Hyundai’s internal documents, the sources said the automaker wants to redesign the front and rear bumpers and lamps of the IONIQ 6.

The body length will be extended by 20 millimeters to be just shy of that of the Grandeur sedan, which is 4,900 mm long, they said.

The sources also said the IONIQ 6 will be redesigned to have a longer battery capacity than the IONIQ 5.

The upcoming EV will have a 77.4 KWh battery, larger than the originally planned capacity of 72.6 KWh, meaning the IONIQ 6 can travel up to 500 km on a single charge.

LONGER MILEAGE THAN IONIQ5

In February, Hyundai debuted the IONIQ 5, the first model under its standalone electric vehicle sub-brand, amid intensifying competition among global automakers to go eco-friendly.

The IONIQ 5, a mid-size crossover utility vehicle (CUV), is the first car to sit on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that will underpin all forthcoming electric cars from both Hyundai and sister firm Kia Corp.

The IONIQ 5 is available in two versions: the long-range model with a 72.6 KWh battery and the standard one with a 58 KWh battery. The long-range version can travel up to 430 km on a single charge.

Unlike the IONIQ 5, which is a CUV, the IONIQ 6 is a mid-size sedan, inspired by its Prophecy concept, to appeal to a variety of consumers.

The IONIQ 6 will be followed by the IONIQ 7, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), which Hyundai plans to launch by 2024.

LIGHTING GRILLE

Industry officials said the IONIQ 6 will also be equipped with a “lighting grille,” a new technology that allows drivers to use the front grille of their cars as LED lighting devices. No electric cars unveiled by global automakers have such technology, they said.

Hyundai Mobis Co., the auto parts affiliate of Hyundai Motor, said in June it has developed the lighting grille technology.

The grille can also be used as means of communication with other automobiles and pedestrians. For example, the grille can run on various modes, such as self-driving and EV charging modes, as well as offering a welcome light or a warning light function to alert drivers or pedestrians that get too close. It can even display sound beats.

Write to Byung-Uk Do and Hyung-Kyu Kim at dodo@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.