Category Archives: IONIQ Electric

Hyundai creating “a stir” in fleet with fully-electric Ioniq 6 saloon

July 17, 2023BMW, Electric Cars, Hyundai, i4, IONIQ Electric, Model 3, News, Reviews and Comment, TeslaRepost

Hyundai is looking to follow up the success of its Ioniq 5 by targeting conquest sales from traditional premium brands with its new Ioniq 6 fully-electric saloon.

The car, which launched earlier this year, is being positioned to appeal to user-chooser drivers who are in the market for a Tesla Model 3 or a BMW i4, seeking a long range and an engaging drive.

Tim White, head of fleet at Hyundai Motor UK, said: “The Ioniq 6 has certainly been causing a stir since it went on sale a few months ago.

“Just as Ioniq 5 did, we are hoping it will attract more new customers to the brand who previously may not have considered Hyundai, especially from drivers that may have previously chosen a more traditionally-perceived premium brand.”

The brand is strategically positioning Ioniq 6 with the corporate end-user side of its business as this segment continues to be its core focus.

“The launch of Ioniq 6 has kept the team busy, with fleets looking to either offer the car at a higher car policy grade to Ioniq 5 while others have placed it parallel to the car,” said White.

To come later in the year is the new Kona Electric. To prepare for this, Hyundai has operated with minimal volume of the existing Kona Electric, which means it has focused on positioning both Tucson PHEV for fleet drivers not yet ready for a full EV and ensuring Ioniq 5 maintains a competitive position.

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Autocar Awards 2023: the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is our Best Company Car

May 4, 2023Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, OpinionRepost

Ioniq 6 is an impressive EV with good efficiency, a long range, generous rear seat space – plus, those BIK rates…

It ought to be unsurprising that Hyundai’s second flagship EV, the Ioniq 6, surprises with its looks.

Thanks in part to the firm’s design director SangYup Lee, who received last year’s Design Hero award, Hyundai has in recent years become one of the most innovative car companies when it comes to styling. It has built up a mainstream range of good-looking cars, but its EVs are where it really stretches out.

The Ioniq 6’s streamliner looks won’t please everyone, but no one could ever accuse it of being bland.

Hyundai Ioniq Electric Handover (Image: T. Larkum)

First came the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which questioned whether an SUV actually needs to look like an SUV, and introduced a new brand of retro-futurism that has clearly struck a chord with buyers.

But while most of Hyundai’s range (and most other manufacturers’ model ranges) becomes ever more SUV-heavy, the Korean manufacturer has decided to embrace the traditional saloon and has done so with un-traditional means.

In some ways the Ioniq 6 is quite old-fashioned, being a four-door saloon with a boot lid that is laser-focused on streamlining and aerodynamics. At the same time, it is a cutting-edge EV offering 800V architecture, ultra-fast charging, a large battery, good mechanical efficiency and a class-leading range as a result.

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Hyundai Ioniq 6 takes three trophies in World Car of the Year awards

April 17, 2023Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and CommentRepost

The EV sedan repeats the feat the Ioniq 5 achieved last year

The New York Auto Show has hosted the prize-giving ceremony for the World Car of the Year awards for nearly 20 years. Guests in attendance for this year’s laurels might have wondered if they’d ended up at the 2022 New York show, Hyundai taking the same three awards this year as last. In 2022, the Ioniq 5 won World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle, and World Car Design of the Year. At this week’s New York Show, the Ioniq 6 repeated that trifecta. The battery-electric sedan beat 29 other vehicles with a variety of powertrains, that initial group whittled down to the BMW X1/iX1, Ioniq 6 and Kia Niro.

The top prize is contested among vehicles sold in at least two major world markets on two continents between January 1, 2022, and March 30, 2023, priced below the luxury-car level in the primary markets, and produced in greater than 10,000 units during the sales timespan.

The Hyundai beat 20 other vehicles for the World Electric Car title, a category the WCOTY board inaugurated in 2022. The market qualification is the same here, but there’s no price cap and the production threshold is lowered to 5,000. The runners-up in the category are the BMW i7 and the Lucid Air. The consolation prize for the Lucid Air was winning the World Luxury Car award, beating the BMW 7 Series/i7 and Genesis G90.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 UK first drive

February 8, 2023Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, Model 3, News, Reviews and Comment, Opinion, TeslaRepost

Sleek Ioniq 5 sibling finally reaches the UK to take on the Tesla Model 3

Last year, the Toyota GR86 famously sold out in just 90 minutes, giving Glastonbury a run for its money in the popularity stakes. But there was another fast-selling in-demandcar that slipped under most people’s radar: the Hyundai Ioniq 6 First Edition, which was all gone in just 24 hours.

Granted, that’s not quite Billie Eilish fast, but for an electric car, and a Hyundai at that, it’s still some statement. As a result of its global popularity and the (yawn) ongoing supply problems, we’re only just getting into a first review of the car in the UK, despite it being available in Korea back in October. The proper dealer allocation won’t even come through until March, with UK prices for the Ioniq 6 starting at £46,745

What can people expect when it does finally arrive? Certainly one of the more individually styled cars on the road. I was in the design preview briefing for the Ioniq 5 with Hyundai chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke and thought at the time that car was punchy, but on the road the 6 is arguably even more distinctive, with its streamliner profile and twin-deck rear.

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The best electric cars on sale today

September 15, 2022e-Golf, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, VolkswagenRepost

If you’re thinking of making the switch to an electric car, our award winners are the ideal choices to help you make the move…

The winners of the What Car? Electric Car Awards for 2022 were announced on Wednesday.

Held in association with OVO Energy, these are held every year to celebrate the finest cars in this emerging class of car which will from 2030 be the only type of car you’ll be legally allowed to buy new.

They now come in all shapes and sizes. So, to help you choose, we’re not only naming the best new models, but also our favourite used options. Let’s dive in:

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EVs dominate 2022 World Car Awards

May 6, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

In a nod to the assured arrival of the battery-electric age, electrified vehicles swept the World Car Awards presented at the New York Auto Show this week.

This year marks the first that EVs dominated the annual awards, which are presented at the show every spring. The awards, which are chosen by 102 jurors from 33 countries (including myself), underscore the industry’s acceleration toward electrification.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 took top honors, claiming three of the awards’ six categories: World Car of the Year, World Electric Car and World Car Design. Hyundai’s newest EV bested the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6 from its sister brand to earn the top title.

The crossover represents the automaker’s next-generation mobility strategy, with efficient powertrain technology, cutting-edge features and futuristic utilitarian design.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS, the futuristic, electrified version of the automaker’s S-Class executive sedan, was named World Luxury Car for its performance and premium cabin.

As World Performance Car, the Audi e-tron GT couples sporty performance with everyday usability. “Our big goal with the Audi e-tron GT was to reimagine the gran turismo philosophy for the electric age,” says Christiane Zorn, Audi’s head of product marketing.

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2022 World Car of the Year – top 3 finalists are all EVs

April 5, 2022Buying/Leasing, Charging, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Sales, UncategorizedRepost

The top three finalists in the running to be named as the 2022 World Car of the Year have been announced, and all are electric vehicles, rather symbolic of where things are heading. Whittled down from the previous round, the final showdown will see the Ford Mustang Mach-E duking it out with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the 2022 European Car of the Year winner, for the coveted title.

The Ioniq 5 is also in contention to grab wins in two other categories, the first being in the World Electric Vehicle of the Year segment, which is a new addition to the awards this year. Here, the Korean offering is going up against the Audi e-tron GT and the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

It’s also in the running to bag the World Car Design of the Year award, although it will have to edge out another two EVs, the Audi e-tron GT and Kia EV6, for the gong. Now, if you’re thinking that the tentacles of electrification end there, think again, because two of the three final competitors in the World Luxury Car category are also electrics – will either the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQS edge out the Genesis GV70 for that particular crown?

It doesn’t end there, because the Audi e-tron GT appears once more, this time in the World Performance Car category – challenging it for the win will be the BMW M3/M4 and Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ twins. As for the final three competing for the World Urban Car title, they are the Opel Mokka, Toyota Yaris Cross and Volkswagen Taigun.

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The electric cars that could boil your kettle for days during storm power cuts: Hyundai and Kia EVs can turn battery packs into mobile charging stations

March 3, 2022Electric Cars, Hyundai, Ioniq 5, IONIQ Electric, IONIQ PHEV, IONIQ Plug-in Hybrid, News, Reviews and Comment, UncategorizedRepost

With much of the UK today being battered by Storm Eunice, sparking the strongest wind on record in the south to massive snowfall in the north, a number of households are already experiencing power cuts, with more predicted for the weekend.

For those suffering this unfortunately consequence, if they have one of the latest Korean electric cars on their driveway they will be able to keep their home appliances running for days.

That’s because the £37,500 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and £41,000 Kia EV6 boast a feature that turns the vehicles into mobile power stations that can charge laptops, power a fridge or even watch TV for hours on end.

The electric SUVs both have something called ‘Vehicle-to-load’ (V2L) technology, which consists of a three-pin adapter that plugs into the cars’ charging sockets to take electricity directly from the lithium-ion battery so you can boil a kettle even when your house has no power.

While electric cars are undeniably expensive to buy and certainly not to all tastes, they offer one big benefit to owners if there are power cuts and blackouts for prolonged periods.

The sister Korean brands have developed ‘built-in bi-directional chargers’ that can take electricity away from the lithium-ion batteries as well as send it to them – tech that’s expected to feature on most new electric models.

Bi-directional systems are designed to allow plug-in vehicles to send electricity stored in their batteries back to the grid (vehicle-to-grid, or V2G), which can be financially lucrative for owners who charge at the cheapest off-peak times and sell that electricity back to the network during the most expensive in-demand hours.

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THE CARS WITH ONE EYE ON SUSTAINABILITY

October 3, 2020BMW, Electric Cars, Ford, Hyundai, i3, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Recycling. It’s a word which most people know and understand. In a world faced with imminent climate change, recycling is a way for us to limit our own impact on the earth through reducing waste and turning what we’d usually throw away into something new.

Manufacturers are just as aware of this too. In fact, plenty of car makers are integrating recycled materials into their vehicles. Let’s take a look at some of the best.

BMW I3
BMW’s striking i3 is green from the off, as its fully electric powertrain has far less of an impact on the environment than an equivalent petrol or diesel-powered car. However, it goes further with an interior which majors on sustainability.

Much of the interior is made from kenaf, which is a lightweight, quick-growing material taken from the mallow plant. The dashboard is crafted from eucalyptus, while the seats are woven from sustainable wool. Check out i3 models for sale here.

POLESTAR 2
Polestar’s new 2 is a car which has been brought in to take the fight to Tesla in the electric car stakes. However, it hasn’t lost track of the end goal – to reduce environmental impact – which is why you’ll find eco-friendly techniques and materials used throughout its construction.

It uses natural fibre composites to reduce the car’s overall use of plastic while at the same time driving down weight. In addition, the seats themselves are made from recycled plastic bottles, the upholstery is entirely vegan-friendly and the carpets are made from old fishing nets too. Don’t worry – they’ve been cleaned first.

HYUNDAI IONIQ ELECTRIC
Hyundai’s Ioniq was somewhat of a trendsetter from the off, as it was one of the first cars to be offered with three powertrains – regular hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric. However, it’s just as cutting edge in other areas too.

Hyundai used recycled plastic mixed with powdered wood and volcanic stone to lower the weight of the interior plastics by an incredible 20 per cent.

Why I bought a Renault Zoe and a Hyundai Ioniq Electric: owner review

July 28, 2020Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, News, Reviews and Comment, Renault, ZOERepost

Back in 2015, Kevin Booker and his wife wanted a quirky car few people owned – now they own two electric cars and wouldn’t look back. Here’s why…

You might say that my wife and I ‘get’ electric cars now: we started our journey with a Renault Zoe Q210 (22kwh battery) back in December 2015 for my wife’s small daily commute as a way to test the feasibility of an electric vehicle and have grown in confidence from there.

Over the past four and a half years we have covered more than 42,000 miles, and I’d say that our experiences have only been positive. What’s not to love? The ease of driving, the quietness, the power and instant torque and the cheap running costs all stand out.

We’ve had adventures all over England and Wales and always been surprised and delighted by the number of people that want to stop for a chat about the car, with lots of questions, around its range and how long it takes to charge.

If there are frustrations, they are not down to the car. We love driving the Zoe, but there are issues with the charging infrastructure, which lags behind what you would find in many other countries.

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