Because the automotive market’s desire shifts to wagon-bodied crossover SUVs quite than sedans, there’s a good purpose why carmakers have been rolling out EVs like the brand new Hyundai Ioniq 6 as sedans. These automobiles, just like the Mercedes EQS, are whittled down to attain minimal aerodynamic drag in order that they’ll publish huge driving vary numbers that the boxier SUVs can’t obtain.
The Ioniq 6 is an fascinating standard-bearer for modern EV know-how as a result of, with pricing beginning within the mid-$40,000s and the top-of-the-line Restricted mannequin within the mid-$50,000s, it deploys Hyundai’s Electrical-International Modular Platform (E-GMP) in a wind-cheating package deal that delivers a most estimated common vary of 361 miles.
The automotive is out there in a matrix of battery capability and drive motor configurations, with an ordinary 53-kilowatt-hour pack and an optionally available 77.4 kWh pack on Lengthy Vary fashions. It may be configured with a single motor driving the rear wheels or a pair of motors driving all 4.
The facility delivered by the motor depends upon the dimensions of the battery pack supplying it, so the usual battery rear motor delivers 149 horsepower and the Lengthy Vary battery rear motor is rated at 225 hp. All-wheel drive is just accessible with the Lengthy Vary battery, so the 2 motors mix to ship 320 hp.
Naturally, the driving vary can also be affected by the battery and motor combos, together with the wheel dimension, as a result of the usual 18-inch wheels ship extra vary than the trendy 20-inch wheels. When geared up with 18-inch wheels, the Ioniq 6’s coefficient of drag (CoD) is 0.22. Swapping on 20-inch wheels raises that to 0.25.
Hyundai’s E-GMP platform lies beneath the Ioniq 6’s flooring, offering the automotive’s propulsion.
The bottom automotive’s vary is 240 miles with the 53-kWh pack and rear drive. The Lengthy Vary rear-drive mannequin achieves 361 miles with the 18-inch wheels and solely 305 miles with the 20-inch wheels.
All-wheel drive variations’ vary varies from 316 miles with the 18-inch wheels to 270 miles with the 20-inch wheels. That implies that the 20-inch wheel-equipped automobiles are on common 88 % as environment friendly because the 18-inch wheel-equipped automobiles, which looks as if an indefensible penalty for wheels that additionally ship a harsher experience due to the discount of cushioning tire sidewall peak.
Driving the bottom rear-drive SE model of the Ioniq 6 back-to-back with the Restricted AWD revealed virtually indistinguishable driving traits between the automobiles on dry roads, suggesting that for many drivers rear-drive and 18-inch wheels could be the sensible selection for each worth and driving vary.
A part of the explanation the wheels can have such an outsized impact on total automobile effectivity and vary is that the Ioniq 6 has been fully optimized to scale back aerodynamic drag from each different supply. That leaves the wheels as a major variable.
“Putting in a high-capacity battery can improve common estimated vary (AER), however this poses further issues equivalent to the next weight and storage requirement for the battery,” defined vice chairman of Hyundai’s automobile whole improvement heart, Byunghoon Min. “A very powerful design consideration for an EV is to maximise the battery output by lowering pointless loses, which may be achieved by designing an aerodynamically environment friendly automobile.”
The Ioniq 6’s window switches are mounted on the middle console quite than on the doorways. This protects cash by lowering the variety of switches, but it surely is not the place drivers anticipate finding them.
The Ioniq 6’s effectivity doesn’t simply come from a streamlined silhouette, but in addition via administration of the main points wanted to make a automotive sensible to drive. One instance is the usage of rear-view cameras in non-U.S.-market automobiles. In comparison with the mirror-equipped U.S. automobiles, the CoD drops some extent, to 0.21.
This illustrates the significance of small particulars. One other such element is the automotive’s Energetic Air Flap (AAF), which adjusts to manage the circulation of cooling air into the automotive’s entrance warmth exchangers. “Energetic air flap is employed to curtail the cooling drag, which is accountable for about 20 % of the full drag,” reported senior analysis engineer on the aerodynamics improvement group, Euijae Lee.
“What makes Ioniq 6 distinctive is the truth that AAF is positioned outdoors of the grille, in contrast to standard autos,” he mentioned. “This enables the client to see AAF in motion and might restrict the quantity of air coming into the hood extra effectively, thus reducing the cooling drag much more.”
Steering airflow on the rear of the automotive is much more essential, in keeping with aerodynamics improvement group senior analysis engineer, Myeongwoo Park. “A very powerful aerodynamic merchandise for Ioniq 6 is the rear spoiler, which not solely reduces drag, but in addition will increase downforce.”
That is vital due to the lifting impact of the automotive’s total design, he defined. “Ioniq 6’s one-curve design resembles an plane wing, which naturally creates elevate. By equipping the rear spoiler, we have been in a position to enhance the dealing with of the automobile.”
Even cheap plastic door panels can convey a premium look with some assist from adjustable-color LED lighting.
In an age when supersonic jets affect styling, the subsonic airflow on the Ionic 6 pointed aerodynamic engineers additional again in time. “The inspiration for the elliptically formed rear spoiler design got here from the Supermarine Spitfire British World Battle II fighter airplane,” mentioned Park. “Its form minimizes the wing tip vortices and permits the air to journey easily alongside its form, which maximizes downforce.”
Driving the Ioniq 6 on the desert roads outdoors Phoenix in temperate, sunny climate, I skilled the rear-drive SE ($46,825, as examined) utilizing 85 miles of its estimated driving vary to journey an precise 68 miles. This driving included a couple of twisty mountain roads however was largely freeway driving.
The AWD Restricted ($57,425, as examined), however, over-delivered, driving 30 miles whereas utilizing simply 26 miles of its estimated vary. This drive did climb into the mountains within the SE and return to the desert flooring within the Restricted, so the distinction may simply be the change in altitude, which we’ve seen beforehand to have a considerable impact on effectivity.
Whereas the Ioniq 6 boasts an array of superior know-how, most notably the 800-volt, 350-kW DC fast-charging functionality, battery pre-heater, adaptive cruise management, and Bluelink+ telematics as normal tools on all fashions, they saved cash in different areas the place they presumably assume prospects received’t thoughts. Nevertheless, the middle console-mounted window switches will most likely be as unpopular with consumers as they’re with me.
And the steering column-mounted monostable shifter returns to its central place after a shift is requested, offering no constructive indication of the present gear choice. It will likely be fascinating to see whether or not a Kia equal mannequin will characteristic a conventional, extra user-friendly PRNDL shifter as we’ve seen occur of their combustion-powered fashions.
The Ioniq 6’s rounded spoiler is designed to mimic the Spitfire WWII fighter airplane’s wings.
One profitable space of value saving within the Ioniq 6’s cabin is the inside door panels. They’re a inflexible plastic that would simply look as low cost as they certainly are. Nevertheless, Hyundai designers have molded ribs into the plastic they usually mild them from behind the armrest to offer a textured look that appears richer than the price of the components.
One other inside element that’s extra essential to anybody carrying adult-sized rear seat passengers is the truth that the entrance seats prolong all the way in which to the ground, with no empty house beneath them for passengers’ ft. Hyundai touts the lengthy wheelbase of the Ioniq 6 and its resultingly spacious legroom. However that house is deceptive when the backseater’s ft have to be within the footwell and never tucked beneath the entrance seats. If the folks within the again seat are in youngster security seats anyway, then this received’t matter. However they received’t be completely happy after they develop up.
On stability, the efficiency, worth, and effectivity of the Ioniq 6 far outweigh any quibbles of private desire over controls, switches, and packaging. With a proliferation of fashions coming from Hyundai Group manufacturers using the E-GMP platform, even when the Ioniq 6 doesn’t completely swimsuit a purchaser’s wants or tastes, certainly one other forthcoming mannequin will.
