South Korean automaker Hyundai says its limited edition Ioniq 5 Project 45 electric vehicle model over-subscribed by almost three times within 24 hours, with some 236,000 expressions of interest received since the Ioniq 5 car was unveiled on February 23.
Hyundai premiered the Ioniq 5 in a virtual event on February 23, the first model in the company’s new-look Ioniq family of cars and the company’s “new benchmark” in electric mobility.
Since then, Hyundai reports it has received over 236,000 enquiries into the Ioniq 5 from European customers so far, while the 3,000 limited units of the Ioniq 5 Project 45 was almost three times over-subscribed during the first 24 hours after reservations opened.
The news follows hot on the heels of reports that Hyundai received a record number of 23,760 pre-orders for the Ioniq 5 in its home market of South Korea.
The Ioniq 5 is the first Hyundai vehicle model to be built on the company’s new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), its dedicated architecture for battery electric vehicles.
The Ioniq 5 Project 45 will be the first Ioniq 5 produced and delivered to customers in Europe and boasts all the company’s most innovative and “eye-catching” features such as a solar roof and 20-inch alloy wheels.
The Ioniq 5 will reportedly come with a range of power electric configurations, including two battery pack options at either 58kWh or 72.6kWh, as well as two electric motor layouts, with either a rear motor only or with a front and rear motor.
On a single charge, the new battery-electric Ioniq 5 will offer a range of around 470-480 kilometres on the 72.6kWh, two-wheel-drive model. Using a 350kW charger, the Ioniq 5 will be able to charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes, while 5 minutes will offer 100 kilometres of range.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.