Hyundai’s latest EV IONIQ 6 was finally leaked today, where the design left everyone in awe, and the new aerodynamic design has also managed to bring down the drag coefficient to 0.21 Cd, which is expected to drastically optimize energy efficiency.
Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 has been relatively well-received after launching in Taiwan, though the manufacturer has already leaked the design of the next generation IONIQ 6.
Resembling Porsche in design, IONIQ 6 emphasizes on aerodynamic this time, and has been referred to as an “Electrified Streamliner”, which is quite fitting to its concept of pursuing extreme streamlines.
Collocating hidden door handles with a distinctive whale-like back design, IONIQ 6 has a drag coefficient of merely 0.21 Cd, which is similar to that of Tesla’s Model 3. IONIQ 6 is adopted with the E-GMP chassis structure like that of IONIQ 5, which means that the model would consumer lower energy and exert longer driving range under the same battery capacity.
Despite adopting the same chassis, the designer of IONIQ 6 insists to retain the wheelbase of the model at 2,494mm under the pursuance of streamline, which is 5cm less than that of IONIQ 5 and 5cm more than Kia EV6. Hyundai claims that the backseat space obtained by a large wheelbase allows passengers to enjoy head and leg spaces that are similar to that of a luxury shuttle.
Hyundai did not reveal the space of the trunk, though from the C pillar design it seems that only the top part of the trunk can be lift open, and not the rear car window.
The rear of IONIQ 6 looks very similar Porsche, especially with how the taillights that are almost the same width as the body bear resemblance to the design language of Porsche 911, though the differentiation lies on how the model’s headlights, taillights, and brake lights are adopted with Parametric Pixel LED lights at a total of 700 LED bulbs, which is the identical configuration to that of IONIQ 5.
Although IONIQ 6 is a replicated version of Hyundai’s concept car Prophecy, the inside of the vehicle is entirely different, since the concept car has a fully automatic driving design, while IONIQ 6 has a similar interior decoration to IONIQ 5. The only difference is that the central armrest next to the driver’s seat has an arc design that provides better storage and extra space.
No information on specifications has been revealed aside from the leaked photos, though Hyundai is expected to begin production on the new vehicle between the end of 2022 and early 2023, and the retail price may be lower than that of Model 3.
(Cover photo source: Hyundai)