Hyundai launches EV brand Ioniq

Hyundai has launched a new electric vehicle brand called Ioniq that it hopes will push to be a leader in electric mobility.

The Ioniq name is currently used for a Hyundai car, which was the first model to be sold with an all-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrain at the same time.

However, it has now been spun off to create a separate brand, with three electric vehicles coming in the next four years, with more to follow.

Hyundai has hinted that the Ioniq brand will be used to push emerging technologies that expand on how cars are used today, saying it will have “technologies and services to integrate in-car and out-of-car experiences for a seamless journey”.

The Ioniq brand will launch a series of numerically named electric vehicles, with even numbers relating to saloons and odd numbers relating to SUVs. It will launch the Ioniq 5 first, which will be a mid-sized crossover, in 2021. This will be followed in 2022 by the Ioniq 6, a saloon based onthesleekProphecyconcept car revealed in March. Then in 2024, a large SUV called Ioniq 7 will join the range.

The vehicles will sit on a new base called the Electric Global Modular Platform, which will allow for fast charging, a large driving range, and an adaptable interior space with adjustable seats and wireless connectivity.

Wonhong Cho, executive vice-president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company, said: “The Ioniq brand will change the paradigm of EV customer experience. With a new emphasis on connected living, we will offer electrified experiences integral to an ecofriendly lifestyle.”

Hyundai recently announced ‘Strategy 2025’ which is its plan to sell one million electric vehicles and have a 10 per cent share of the market by 2025.

BMW has revealed further details about its upcoming sixcylinder 545e plug-in hybrid. Joining the four-cylinder 530e, which has been on sale since 2017 and was BMW’s most popular electrified model last year, the 545e is the first hybrid six-cylinder powertrain to feature in a 5 Series.

While announced at the unveiling of the facelifted 5 Series back in May, no details were unveiled about the new plug-in hybrid model.

However, BMW has now announced full details about the 545e, which will feature a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine mated to a 12kWh battery and electric motor. Power is delivered to all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system.

That combination produces 389bhp and 600Nm of torque, which enables a 0-60mph time of just 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph, or 87mph on electricity. That makes it the quickest BMW plug-in hybrid currently available.

With a 34-mile electric range, it also means the 545e can return up to 166mpg, along with CO2 emissions ranging between 38g/km and 54g/km.