Ioniq is now Hyundai's EV brand, three forthcoming additions confirmed

Hyundai has announced that it is taking its Ioniq name and turning it into a dedicated brand for its electric vehicles.

The Ioniq name was first used for the 2016 launch of Hyundai's EV model that offered electric or hybrid powertrains in the same body (subsequently updated in 2019) - but now assumes a more significant position within the company's naming strategy.

Hyundai isn't just announcing a reshuffle of its branding, it is also fleshing out what we can expect over the next few years, with a new numerical approach that's going to give us the Ioniq 5, 6 and 7 as the company strengthens its commitment to battery electric vehicles.

Hyundai already has a pretty good track record in this regard - the Ioniq is one of the most affordable EVs on the road and we certainly see a lot of them around. Meanwhile the Kona Electric is one of our favourite electric models, hitting important range, price and spec points. 

Exactly how those models fit into the new Ioniq branding we don't yet know, but we do know what Hyundai has coming up over the next few years. 

Ioniq 5, 6 and 7 

The new numerical strategy will see odd numbers for SUVs and even numbers for "sedans" or saloons as we might call them in the UK. Hyundai has already shared details of a couple of these models.

The Ioniq 5 will be based on the Hyundai 45 concept that was shown off at IAA in 2019. It's a compact utility vehicle - CUV - which is due in 2021. We suspect it will lose a number of the lounge-style features of the concept vehicle to become all the more conventional. It may even replace the Kona Electric, but that's just us speculating. This model has, reportedly, already been spotted in testing, according to Autocar.

The Ioniq 6 will be a sedan/saloon based on the Prophecy concept that was unveiled earlier in 2020. The Ioniq 6 is due to launch in 2022. We're expecting some of that aerodynamic profile to remain - this model is likely to push performance a little more based on the concept.

 

Finally Hyundai is lining up the Ioniq 7. This is said to be a large SUV. There's no concept for this model, but keep your eyes on announcements over the next couple of years to get a feel for where this model is heading. It's not due until 2024.

All the new models will be based on the E-GMP platform.

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