The Hyundai Motor Company is pushing ahead with their commitment to lower emission vehicles with hydrogen power, electric vehicles and hybrids. In the Ioniq range the power unit choices include pure electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid models and I recently spent a week in the Ioniq Electric Premium.
This Electric Premium features a 38.3 kWh Li-ion polymer battery that is liquid cooled and paired with an automatic transmission. The permanent-magnet synchronous motor has 100 kW and 295 Nm and the Ioniq also features smart regenerative braking that automatically controls the level of regenerative braking in response to the traffic ahead, with input from the front radar sensor.
The claimed WLTP real-world range of the Ioniq Electric is 311km and I commend Hyundai for publishing their real-world WLTP figure as this provides consumers with an accurate measure of what range they can expect to achieve in their electric vehicle. For my week with the Ioniq I drove 312km and used a total of 42.13kWh, giving me a real-world energy use of 13.5kWh/100km or a range of about 284km, which is similar to the claimed real-world range and to the Hyundai Kona EV I have previously driven.
I charged the Ioniq using the standard cord that is provided with the car (which comes neatly packaged in a bag) plugged into a 240V household socket. This indicated it was charging at a rate of 2.2kW/h, which was ample for me to recharge overnight. The charging port is located on the passenger side rear quarter panel and there are three blue lights on the dash of the Ioniq that can be seen from outside of the vehicle and these designate when charging is occurring and its progress.
If you require faster overnight charging then you can install an in-home AC charger or if you use a commercial 100kW DC fast charging station the Ioniq Electric can be charged from empty up to 80 percent in as little as 54 minutes (or 57 minutes when connected to a 50kW fast charging station). Hyundai does not have a formal arrangement with any of the third-party charging providers in Australia, but you can search nearby charging stations under the EV menu on the infotainment system.
The drive modes on the Ioniq electric include Normal, Sport and Eco. For me, Normal mode was adequate because even though the Ioniq felt a little peppier in Sport mode, it’s not a performance EV. I found that there was no traction loss from the front tyres in the dry and only a small amount of front wheel spin in the wet. The noise in the cabin is similar to internal combustion engine cars due to the amount of road noise that enters the cabin.
The 2020 Ioniq is the first model to adopt Hyundai’s all-new 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system and it’s standard across the range. As such Hyundai are not trying to shock you when you sit in the electric-powered Ioniq, it simply looks like other vehicles in their line-up. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls and audio streaming, as well an iPod-compatible USB input. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard and must be connected using a USB cord in order for the voice control to work. The Infinity 8-speaker premium audio system is decent and allows you to enjoy your media or the Sounds of Nature feature, which is now common in Hyundai/Genesis/Kia models.
I liked the dash design and the different textured plastics used here, the digital driver’s dash and the heated steering wheel. But I wasn’t keen on the gloss black controls that showed finger marks and the masculine-looking silhouette on the voice control button on the steering wheel. Under the arm rest is a deep storage pocket with one 12V outlet, in front of this are two square-shaped cup holders and next to the gear selection buttons there is a wireless charging pad for compatible devices. At the front of the centre console there is a deep storage area with another two 12V outlets and one USB port.
The front seats are heated and cooled and like most other vehicle manufacturers the cooled option did not work all that well. The driver seat has power adjustment including 2-way lumbar support, but does not have any memory positions, while the passenger seat only has manual adjustment. I found the seats were firm and not all that comfortable.
The rear seats have just enough head and leg room for me, but taller individuals would struggle to fit due to the sloping nature of the roofline. There are two ISOFIX/three rear tether child seat restraint points, but only enough room for two car seats due to the width of the seat. The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with 2.5 drink bottle holders here. Even though this an electric vehicle it still has a transmission tunnel here and there is no mat over this so the carpet may wear over time. Rear passengers do get central air vents with direction control only, but no USB or 12V ports.
The boot has manual open/close and is a reasonable size that would fit a stroller and a weekly shop. There are four flimsy plastic tie down points with a cargo net to secure items and under the boot floor there is a tyre repair kit. I did like the additional window below the boot spoiler that enabled better vision behind the vehicle from the rear view mirror. If you need more space the rear seats have a 40/60 split folding mechanism.
The Ioniq electric range includes the Hyundai SmartSense active safety suite of technologies. This now includes High Beam Assist, Lane Following Assist (I found this to be a little twitchy and aggressive in its movements), upgraded Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist – Line, Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning. ANCAP tests of the Automatic Emergency Braking system showed GOOD performance of its functionality at highway speeds, with collisions avoided or mitigated in most test scenarios. Overall the ANCAP Safety Assist score was 70%.
The Ioniq electric has a standard rear view camera with front and rear parking sensors and when you reverse it emits an external beep to warn people that the car is moving. All Ioniq models include dual front airbags for the driver and passenger, front side (thorax) airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, and a driver’s knee airbag and have a 5-star ANCAP safety rating (2016) with an Adult Protection rating of 34.5 out of 38 (90%) and a Child Protection rating of 39.4 out of 49 (80%).
Hyundai iCare offers new car owners a 5 year Unlimited Km warranty (8 years on the EV battery), complimentary Roadside Assist for 12 months on new vehicles, 1,500km complimentary first service, and a dedicated Customer Care Centre. When servicing with Hyundai, customers will also receive a 10 Year Sat Nav Update Plan, a Roadside Support Plan for up to 10 years and more. Under the Lifetime Service Plan the first five services of the Ioniq electric are $160 each and these are done every year or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
The Ioniq Electric Premium is priced at $52,490 plus dealer delivery and on-road costs with metallic paint being a $495 option. Visit your preferred Hyundai dealer for more information about the entire Ioniq range.
| Pros | Cons |
| Real-world range given by Hyundai | No formal agreement with third party charging providers |
| Nice cabin design | Twitchy/aggressive Lane Following Assist |
| Low servicing costs | Uncomfortable front seats |
Photographs Driven Women Magazine.