Hyundai Ioniq 6 revealed: EV sedan coming to Australia with dramatic ‘streamliner’ shape

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Hyundai has unveiled its fully-electric Ioniq 6 sedan that is expected to be released in Australia in late 2022 — while full specifications, including range, power and specific dimensions, will be announced in July. 

The Ioniq 6 is the second Hyundai model to sit atop the company’s e-GMP dedicated electric vehicle architecture, following the popular Ioniq 5 midsize SUV. Capable of 800-volt ultra-rapid charging, e-GMP also serves as the basis for the Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60. 

With a balance between affordability and premium appointments a key focus of Hyundai’s latest EVs, the Ioniq 6 is expected to compete against non-SUV rivals such as the Tesla Model 3 sedan and Polestar 2 liftback in Australia. Later, Volkswagen is expected to enter the electric sedan fray with its ID Aero model. 

Ioniq 6 achieves drag coefficient of 0.21

In an effort to make the Ioniq 6 travel further on a single charge, Hyundai’s designers have crafted a shape with a drag coefficient of just 0.21, a figure only just bested by the controversial design of the Mercedes-Benz EQS that was rated at 0.20.

Hyundai says it was able to achieve this slippery figure thanks to the low nose of the Ioniq 6, along with other incremental improvements such as the active air flaps at the front, slim digital mirrors and even wheel gap reducers. 

Like the Ioniq 5, the sedan features a  digital-style taillight across the rear which is complemented with a small spoiler reminiscent of the first-generation Audi TT coupe.

With no need to cool down a combustion engine, the front flaps sit closed in these images, though the LED headlights take up most of the attention and complement the rounded shape.

Minimalist interior design

Like many of its rivals, the Ioniq 6 has opted to pursue a minimalist interior design dominated by large interior screens.

Hyundai has fitted a pair of 12.0-inch screens, with one serving as the multimedia interface and the other as a digital instrument cluster, with the cocoon-like interior lit by a 64-colour ambient lighting system that even features inside the door panels. 

Those who still enjoy the tactical feeling of physical control will enjoy the addition of a volume knob and other buttons that interact directly with the climate control system.

The Ioniq 6 is built using an array of recycled materials with common elements like fish nets used to create the floor mats, while on the outside the paint is manufactured using pigment from old tyres. 

450km+ driving range likely

While the full list of specifications won’t arrive until July, the confirmation that the Ioniq 6 will sit on the e-GMP platform confirms that a driving range of 450km or more can be expected.

The most efficient use of this platform has been seen with the 168kW/350Nm single-motor variant of the Kia EV6 when paired with the larger 77.4kWh battery, a combination that afforded the midsize SUV an estimated driving range of 528km, when tested according to the typically more accurate WLTP testing protocols.

Hyundai is expected to announce that the Ioniq 6 will use the 77.4kWh battery from the US-market Ioniq 5, rather than the Australian specification of the SUV that has a slightly smaller 72.6kWh battery. 

With the more aerodynamic shape of a sedan, it’s likely the Ioniq 6 will easily be able to achieve a range of up to 550km in single-motor variants, though the dual-motor variants are likely to provide around 10 percent lower range. 

Like the Ioniq 5 SUV, the Ioniq 6 sedan is expected to be offered with dual-motor AWD as an option, producing around 230kW of power and 600Nm of torque — while a high-performance Ioniq 6 N super-sedan with more than 400kW could be on the cards in 2023 or 2024.

The Ioniq 6 is expected to make its debut in Australia towards the end of 2022 or early on in 2023, with more details such as pricing and performance expected to arrive closer to the launch date.