We get behind the wheel of an electric Hyundai Ioniq and petrol Hyundai i30 Fastback to see if their motive power has an impact on the way we drive

Electric cars are different from petrol and diesel ones, and that becomes clear even before you’ve sat in one. From range and charging infrastructure, to government tax breaks and miles per kilowatt hour replacing miles per gallon, moving from fossil fuels to electric power requires a change in mindset.

When you get behind the wheel of an EV, even more differences emerge. The silent running, the instant torque, the regenerative braking – electric cars have intrinsic character differences when compared with their counterparts, and require different driving styles.

But how do these differences impact drivers and how they drive, and is it a positive change? In the hope of finding answers to these questions, Hyundai came to us with a proposition. The firm presented us with two cars – one a pure-electric Ioniq, the other a petrol-powered i30 Fastback – and asked politely if they could hook me up with a blood-pressure monitor and track my eye movement during a pair of 30-minute drives, one in each car.

It wouldn’t be just me that was wired up. The cars would be rigged with pressure pads on their steering wheels, accelerometers and all manner of other sensors. The measurements gathered by these instruments would, together with the assessments of an observer sitting in the passenger seat, generate category scores in five areas: awareness, ability, confidence, efficiency and calmness. The experiment is called Drive Different and its aim, it almost goes without saying, is to look at how my driving changes as I switched from one car to the other.

The day gets off to a bad start, with the cars held up by traffic on their way to the office and rain pounding London’s streets. But soon I’m hooked up; the heart-rate monitor is an unobtrusive bit of kit like a wristwatch, while aside from pressure-pad covers on the cars’ steering wheels and pupil-tracking cameras on their infotainment screens, all seems fairly normal.

Read more: Auto Express

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Hyundai has dropped final specifications and a photo gallery of the facelifted Ioniq Electric on the occasion of the model’s international media launch in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The main update made to the EV is the upgraded 38.3-kWh battery with 36 percent added energy capacity for an enhanced real-world driving range of 311 km (193 miles) as per WLTP. The new battery replaces the previously-available 28-kWh unit.

Another significant upgrade is the addition of a standard 7.2-kW on-board charger for Type 2 AC charging that replaces the 6.6-kW charger. As a result, the battery can reach 80 percent charge in as little as 54 minutes using a 100-kW fast-charging station.

The electric motor stays the same and delivers a maximum power of 100 kW (136 PS / 134 hp) and a peak torque of 295 Nm (218 lb-ft). Borrowing from the Kona Electric, the Ioniq Electric makes maximum use of regenerative braking technology by adopting one-paddle driving capability. This allows drivers to stop the car by simply holding onto the left paddle shift lever — most of the time with no need to engage the braking pedal.

Read more: Car Scoops

Hyundai has now released the prices for the revamped all-electric Ioniq, a few weeks after the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.

The upgraded all-electric model will hit markets in the second half of this year.

The Ioniq Electric is priced in Germany at 34,900 euros, in the UK, prices for the all-electric Ioniq start at £27,250. In the USA, the all-electric hatch-back is on sale initially in California, with prices starting at around $30,700 (around $20,700 in California after rebates) with a top price of just over $37,300, making it less expensive than the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Bolt.

In May last year, Hyundai stopped taking orders for the previous all-electric Ioniq, due to battery shortages. A year later, the South Korean company released details of its revamped all-electric model without pricing details. Hyundai’s hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions were revealed in January this year, and cost less than the all-electric version, for example, the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is available in Germany from 25,800 euros, and the Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid from 32,000 euros – meaning the fully electric car will cost 1,600 euros more than its hybrid counterparts.

The new all-electric model, which will be hitting markets in the second half of this year, differs optically from its predecessor with the new headlights and above all the pattern on the closed radiator grille (which is reminiscent of the Kona Electric). The LED daytime running lights and the aluminium wheels have also been redesigned.

The most important new feature of the purely electric Ioniq is an increased battery capacity from 28 to 38.3 kWh, which should enable a WLTP range of 294 kilometres. In addition, the onboard charger of the electric motor will be upgraded from currently 6.6 to 7.2 kW. The AC charging process should take around six hours to 80 per cent.

Read more: Electrive

HYUNDAI has released details and pictures of the updated Ioniq Electric car which has more range, updated styling, and a few other new features.

Hyundai has unveiled the new Ioniq Electric car which has a number of modifications and tweaks to make it more compelling than before.

Of the changes to the updated Ioniq Electric car, the most important of them is a new battery pack which allows for more overall range.

The size of the battery pack has increased from 28kWh to 38.3 kWh which now allows a total range of 182-miles of WLTP of range on a single charge.

This is an increase of the previously claimed 174-miles, and what was claimed in WhatCar’s? Real Range data which stated that the car has an estimated useable range of 117-miles.

Read more: Express

Electric vehicles (EVs) are quickly moving from early adopter toys to mass-market essentials. 

What’s New

The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq is a completely new model from the Korean automaker. Though the Ioniq shares its platform with sister-brand Kia’s Nero, the body, powertrain combinations, and several interior components are fresh elements. Notably, the Ioniq Electric is the automaker’s first battery-electric model.

Trim Levels and Features

The 2017 Ioniq Electric keeps things simple when it comes to trims and packages. Highlights of the base trim include LED daytime running lights, proximity door locks, push-button ignition, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, power windows with auto driver’s window, heated front seats, two USB ports, Bluetooth, HD radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a three-month Sirius XM trial.

Technology Overview

Contemporary Hyundai vehicles lack little in the way of interior gadgetry. The Ioniq Electric comes standard with a 7.0-inch infotainment system and 7.0-inch + 4.2-inch digital driver display. The vivid TFT screens show energy distribution on the left, speed and remaining range in the center, and a host of telemetry data on the right.

Interior Fit & Finish

The Ioniq’s conservative exterior design pairs with a refined, handsome cabin. Glossy metal trim accents the steering wheel spoke, door handles, air vents, and gear selector controls for a premium touch. On the tactile front, soft leather covers the steering wheel, seats, center console, and door panels. If you look hard enough, you can find budget materials, but those are exceptions to a high-quality cockpit.

Driving Performance & MPG

Powering the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric is an 88 kWh electric motor mated to a 28 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery. A single-speed automatic transmission sends 118 hp and 215 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels for what independent sources estimate is an 8.0-second sprint to 60 mph. Hyundai says the Ioniq Electric runs out of pep at 90 mph.

Safety

Hyundai packs the Ioniq with seven airbags, ABS, automatic headlights, stability control, a rearview camera, and driver blindspot monitor as standard. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to grade the Ioniq EV, but given Hyundai’s track record for five-star performances, we expect the Ioniq to be a very safe ride.

Read More: Digital Trends