Hyundai Previews EV Brand With Ioniq 5 SUV Teaser

Hyundai has revealed the first image of the Ioniq 5, a new electric mid-size crossover to be the first vehicle sold under the company’s Ioniq EV brand.

Ioniq is a not a new name – it’s what Hyundai calls its current electrified compact car, which comes in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric versions. However, the company’s latest announcement signals its intent to spawn another standalone brand – the first being the Genesis luxury-car range – that will sell battery-powered vehicles exclusively.

Hyundai calls out design cues like pixel-inspired front lighting that is “suggestive of the digital technology within.” The Ioniq 5 will also ride on aero-optimized 20-inch wheels and have a clamshell hood conceived to reduce the number of panel gaps in the body and contribute to the car’s high-tech look.

We saw hints of some of the Ioniq 5’s details in previous Hyundai concepts, particularly the 45 concept EV it showed in September 2019.

Functionally, Hyundai envisions the Ioniq 5 as doing more than simply providing electric transportation. Its battery can be used to power household appliances via a 110/220-volt outlet and vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology.

Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 will also boast a charging system that will allow the battery to take on enough electricity in five minutes to travel 100 km, according to the car’s WLTP energy consumption ratings.

Hyundai says it will reveal the Ioniq 5 in a virtual world premiere event in February.