Hyundai launches new Ioniq sub-brand for electric models

Hyundai has launched a new Ioniq electric vehicle sub-brand as it gears up to unveil three new significant EVs in the next four years.

Sharing a name with the firm's big-selling family hatchback - itself available in electric form - Ioniq will be used for each of the brand's upcoming electric models, which will be told apart using a numerical naming strategy similar to Volkswagen's ID line-up. Odd numbers will be used for SUVs and even numbers for saloons and other models.

The first production model to adopt the moniker will be the 2021 Ioniq 5, a compact crossover based on the radical 45 concept from last year's Frankfurt motor show. It will be followed in 2022 by the Ioniq 6 electric sports saloon, which will take cues from the low-slung Prophecy concept. A large, as-yet unseen SUV called the Ioniq 7 will land in 2024.

The final production designs of all three remain under wraps. However, Hyundai has previously said it plans for each to have a distinctive and different design, but they will all feature pixel headlights, as seen on the 45 and Prophecy concepts.

Each will sit atop the brand's all-new Electric Global Modular Platform, which is said to be capable of fast charging and a long range. With a long wheelbase and a flat floor, it also allows for each model to have a spacious interior, which, Hyundai says, will be modelled on "smart living rooms".

The brand also says all Ioniq-branded models will offer enhanced connectivity features "to integrate in-car and out-of-car experiences for a seamless journey".

The Hyundai Ioniq will not form part of the new model range, suggesting it will either be renamed or replaced entirely.

By 2025, Hyundai intends to launch 16 new EVs to increase its annual EV sales to more than half a million – the equivalent of just over 10% of its total sales in 2019. As a whole, the Hyundai Motor Group is aiming to achieve a 5% global automotive market share and transition to a 'smart mobility solution provider', rather than purely a car manufacturer.