Hyundai launches IONIQ as new EV brand, confirms 3 new electric cars

Hyundai announced the launch of IONIQ as its own new electric brand and confirmed three new electric cars to populate the lineup within the next four years.

The Korean automaker already has the IONIQ, an electric sedan produced with three different powertrains: hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and all-electric (BEV).

The vehicle has found some success and the all-electric version has been praised for its efficiency, but Hyundai is now talking about a “Rebirth of IONIQ.”

In. an announcement made yesterday, the Korean automaker said that it will launch IONIQ as a “dedicated to battery electric vehicle” brand:

Hyundai Motor Company today announced the launch of its new IONIQ brand dedicated to battery electric vehicles, opening a new chapter as a leader in the era of electrified mobility. Under the IONIQ brand, Hyundai will offer customer centric EV experiences centered on connected lifestyle solutions in line with Hyundai’s vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’.

 Wonhong Cho, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company, commented on the launch:

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 eco-friendly lifestyle.

The new brand is going to use Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which they claims will enable “fast charging capability and plentiful driving range.”

Hyundai IONIQ 5/6/7 electric vehicle lineup

Hyundai has released a few details about the first three electric vehicles to be released under the new brand.

They are going to use a simple numerical naming scheme with with the even numbers used for sedans and the odd numbers for SUVs:

Hyundai IONIQ 5

The first is going to be a midsize electric CUV based on the previously unveiled ‘concept EV 45’:

The first model under the IONIQ brand will be the IONIQ 5 midsize CUV that will launch in early 2021. IONIQ 5 is based on the concept EV ’45’, which Hyundai unveiled at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2019 in Frankfurt as a homage to its very first concept car. IONIQ 5’s designers took inspiration from the past and integrated it with cutting-edge parametric pixels, a unique design element that Hyundai designers will continue to incorporate into future IONIQ models.

Here are a few pictures of the ‘concept EV 45’:

It’s going to hit the market as soon as 2021.

Hyundai IONIQ 6

In 2022, Hyundai plans to follow with the launch of the IONIQ 6 sedan, an electric sedan “based on the company’s latest concept EV ‘Prophecy.'”

Here are a few pictures from the launch of the Prophecy concept earlier this year:

Hyundai IONIQ 7

Finally, the IONIQ 7 is going to follow in early 2024.

Less is known about this vehicle, which is going to be “a large SUV,” according to Hyundai’s press release.

Unlike the two others, Hyundai has yet to unveiled an early concept of the vehicle, but they have released this image of the concept:

The automaker hasn’t released any specs for the vehicles. More information is expected to be released as we get closer to the launch of the IONIQ 5 next year.