Hyundai goes into battle with Tesla with Ioniq 5 crossover

It’s no secret that any carmaker wishing to succeed in a future of electric mobility has to be able to offer drivers a product on par with the leading innovator in the automotive space: Tesla.

Odds are that South Korean carmaker Hyundai may do just that. If comments in my socials are anything to go by, the Ioniq 5, which is its first EV on Hyundai’s dedicated electric e-GMP platform,  is as highly anticipated as the Tesla Model Y (although neither are yet available in Australia).

Hyundai has already achieved success with its Kona Electric and the all-electric Ioniq. But while both have proved successful entrants in the limited Australian market, they will likely fall by the wayside due to the fact that they are modified fossil-fuelled vehicles.

The Ioniq 5’s e-GMP platform by contrast, like Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform which supports VW’s  ID4 and the Audi Q4 E-Tron, is specially developed on a modular skateboard architecture.

With a battery under the floor and the motors on the axles, it guarantees a spacious interior for passengers as well as cargo. And although Hyundai is coming to market later than VW with its modular platform, it comes with better technology.

The extent of this has now been shared in a new video released by Hyundai to highlight to drivers the step up in capabilities that the Ioniq 5 will have on its predescessors.

And while one is always hard put not to compare electric newcomers to the electric mobility doyenne that is Tesla, it just can’t be helped when it all but tips it hat to Tesla in the form of highway-assist visuals with a minimal aesthetic, and the familiar lines on either side of the vehicle when in lane assist, only in green instead of blue.

But that in itself doesn’t tell the whole story, because the Ioniq 5 promises a number of features that we won’t see in a Tesla any time in the near future.

There is of course an additional touchscreen that offers access to infotainment and climate control features, whereas the driver-assist visuals are displayed in a 12.25″ cluster behind the steering wheel. Those that are not fans of the central single Tesla touchscreen may find this more pleasing.

As with the Porsche Taycan, the Ioniq 5 can utilise an 800-volt electrical architecture for ultra-fast charging (while the Taycan is currently limited to 270kW, the Ioniq 5 will be able to take advantage of a top charge rate of 350kW).

Under optimal conditions, five minutes are enough to top up with an extra 100 kilometres driving, and from ten to 80 percent in 18 minutes.

Hyundai also says the Ioniq 5’s solar roof can boost range by up to 2,000 kilometres a year, and importantly can then use its 3.6kW “vehicle-to-load” charging capabilities to charge other devices – such as an electric bike as shown in Hyundai’s video below, or appealing to the photographic adventure types, a drone.

Hyundai is also breaking new ground on the inside: All dedicated electric cars are spacious, and with a 3.00 metre wheelbase and 4.64 metre length, that’s no surprise for the Ioniq 5.

But this spacious interior is also enhanced by comfortable furnishings that make it look more like a living room than a car inside: the seats are more like armchairs, the back seat is reminiscent of a sofa and even an integrated pinboard where one can pin their loved one’s photos.

In addition to a huge storage space in the “frunk” (front trunk) there are almost 40 litres of storage space in the center console, which is just as movable as the back seat which can slide 14 centimetres back at the push of a button.

The trunk, which is also generous at 527 litres, in this case then becomes smaller but the payoff is enough room to recline the front row seats all the way back. Romance mode, anyone?

In keeping with the sustainable mindset, Hyundai is also using an array of natural yarns and “eco-processed” leather that uses plant-based extracts, recycled PET plastics, and eco floormats.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be introduced in Q3 2021 to the Australian market in two battery/drive options, a 58kWh rear-wheel drive or 72.6kWh battery all-wheel drive, the latter of which is rated for 480km range (WLTP).