Ioniq: Hyundai electric car brand arriving in Australia next year

First it was Genesis, now it’s Ioniq.

Hyundai has taken another badge from its range and turned it into a standalone brand, this time the Ioniq label previously reserved for its Prius-rivalling hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and pure electric fastbacks.

The new badge will be applied to the upcoming range of Hyundai electric vehicles, which will be led by a production version of the 45 EV concept, to be called the Ioniq 5.

Unlike the low-riding hatchback concept, Hyundai says the production car will be a CUV. In other words, expect another small SUV.

It’s on track to arrive in Australia during 2021. Expect the Ioniq range to be sold through regular Hyundai dealerships, not a standalone network of showrooms like luxury offshoot Genesis.

It’ll be followed by the Ioniq 6, a sedan based on the slinky Prophecy concept, in 2022. The Ioniq 7 is a large SUV, and will launch in 2024.

Underpinning the new electric family is the Hyundai Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).

Unlike the modified internal-combustion platform underpinning the Ioniq range, Kona Electric, and related Kia e-Niro, the E-GMP is dedicated to battery-electric vehicles.

Hyundai says the new platform will allow its designers more freedom to create interesting shapes, and promises it won’t enforce a strict family design language from model-to-model.

The new Ioniq range will be a core part of Hyundai’s push to own 10 per cent of the global electric vehicle market by 2025.