Hyundai has given us a glimpse of the Ioniq, a brand new hybrid due to launch in 2016 in Korea that will be on show at the Geneva International Motor Show.
The Hyundai Ioniq ─ dubbed by its maker as an ‘advanced, alternative-fuel compact vehicle’ ─ will be the world’s first car to be offered with a choice of electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrains.
In its electric-only EV form, the Ioniq will be powered by a high-capacity, ultra-efficient lithium ion battery. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV), meanwhile, ‘combines fuel-efficient energy with battery power obtained by charging the car with electricity’.
In hybrid (HEV) form, the Ioniq uses a combination of a petrol engine and an on-board battery that is recharged by the motion of the car, supplementing the engine’s power.
It is based on ‘an exclusive new platform’ that has been designed to deliver responsive handling yet remain efficient regardless of the powertrain configuration running underneath the bonnet.
The name Ioniq come from two meanings. People who can remember their science lessons will know an ion is an electrically-charged atom, which references the electric aspect. The second ‘iq’ part references its unique nature.
Hyundai has used the ‘Q’ for the car’s logo to acknowledge the new approach to the model.
Hyundai head of research and development Woong-Chul Yang said: “Hyundai Motor has a heritage of building innovative, fuel-efficient vehicles, so we are proud to advance our eco-friendly car line-up with the introduction of Ioniq.
“Our vision for future mobility focuses on choice, with a variety of powertrain options to suit customers’ varied lifestyles, without compromising on design or driving enjoyment. Ioniq embodies Hyundai Motor’s vision to shift the automotive paradigm and future mobility; Ioniq is the fruit of our efforts to become the leader in the global green car market.”
Expect to see more specific details of the Ioniq and a full unveiling as we head towards March 2016, when the Geneva Motor Show begins.
Hyundai is no stranger to eco cars. It was, after all, the first car manufacturer to release a mass-produced hydrogen vehicle, which is known as the ix35 Fuel Cell.
On a related note, Hyundai took home the ‘Best Family Car‘ award for the Tucson at the Recombu Awards 2015.
Leave a Reply