Hyundai Ioniq 5 powers up with more range and digital mirrors

A new, upgraded Ioniq 5 variant has been outlined by Hyundai as it prepares for the latest release of its in-demand electric crossover.

It is the Ioniq 5 Epiq, which follows the naming pattern of its recently renamed stablemates, the Dynamiq and the Techniq. With the new name comes a slew of features – some a return of previous as-standards, some long-awaited, and some just plain new.

Starting from a premium price of $85,000 before on-roads, the Ioniq 5 Epiq sees the return of the panoramic “moon roof”, which used to come as standard on the AWD before it was named the Techniq.

Digital side mirrors finally arrive

The long-awaited feature is the heralded digital side mirrors (DSM). Offered to begin with as an optional extra in South Korea and Europe (according to InsideEVs), the DSMs present a smaller profile than a traditional mirror.

In-built cameras capture the surrounding environment on with side of the car, and then display this on dedicated O-LED screens in the cabin set on either side.

Because they are smaller, the digital side mirrors can be expected to help decrease wind resistance and therefore add minimal range.

However, in addition to these two add-ons is a heat pump that cuts energy requirements of the Ioniq 5 Epiq’s heating system.

But that’s not all. The Ioniq 5 Epiq now also gets battery conditioning, which helps to improve performance and range in cold-climate conditions as well as enable drivers to pre-condition the battery to shorten charging times.

All Ioniq 5 variants to get 7% larger battery

Drivers keen to get their hands on an Ioniq 5 will be happy to know that all future variants will get a battery upgrade from 72.6kWh to 77.4kWh.

The 6% increase means longer range, but it also means a rise in price. The single-motor Ioniq 5 Dynamiq now starts at $72,000 up from $69,900, while the now mid-range, dual-motor Ioniq 5 Techniq rises in price from $77,500 to $79,500, all before on-roads.

Whilst there is an additional hit to the pocket, there is also an upgrade in voltage. A higher cell count means a voltage increase from 653V to 697V, resulting in more range and power.

The single-motor Dynamiq now delivers 350Nm torque and 168kW power up from 160kW, and 507km WLTP driving range up from 481km.

The dual-motor Techniq will now drive 454km (up from 430km) based on the WLTP rating, while the dual-motor format delivers 165kW from the rear motor and 74kW from the front, adding up to an additional 14kW power at 239kW total. Torque for both AWD models sits at an impressive 605Nm.

All other specs remain the same, including charging from 10-80% in as little as 18 minutes (73 minutes on a 50kW charger), and AC (at home and work) 7kW charging in 11 hours and 45 minutes. Matte paint for all variants costs an additional $1,000.

All models are offered with a lifetime servicing plan in 30,000km or 24 month intervals.

Lifetime Service Plan Pricing

200 cars to be released to market October 26

The big news for those after an Ioniq 5 is that 200 new cars will be released on October 26 at 1pm. Whilst this is good news for some, those keen to level up to the new Epiq variant will have to wait: Hyundai says it will be released later in 2022.

Meanwhile, Hyundai says it will stick with its “first come, best dressed” approach to sales. Drivers can expect to line up online and hope to have a quick enough trigger to get in first.

Hyundai says however that all states are included – but a spokesperson has confirmed sales have not been extended to regional areas. Drivers must have a city postcode that matches their licence.