It was February 23 when Hyundai unveiled the Ioniq 5 and we’ve been wondering ever since when the dedicated electric vehicle would receive its North American premiere. That day is finally approaching as the first model to ride on the company’s E-GMP platform will premiere stateside on May 24. A virtual presentation will take place that day, prior to a market launch in the US scheduled for this fall.
We will have to wait until Monday to learn about the technical specifications of the US-spec Ioniq 5, but one key figure has been revealed. The EV promises to offer up to 300 miles of EPA-rated range, which is a little bit better than the global version’s 298-mile WLTP rating estimated by Hyundai for the international version. We also know the North American variant will be offered with a bigger 77.4 kWh battery whereas the global Ioniq 5 has to make do with a standard 58-kWh pack and an optional 72.6-kWh battery.
It’s safe to assume the maximum range will be available with the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version as the dual-motor, AWD model will be heavier and therefore less efficient. On the flip side, the beefier Ioniq 5 will be quicker as Hyundai has quoted a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) time of 5.2 seconds or 2.2s less than the entry-level model.
One another aspect disclosed by Hyundai for the US-spec model is support for the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function. It will effectively allow Ioniq 5 owners to use the EV’s battery juice to charge external devices, varying from bicycles to camping equipment. “Other major announcements” are also promised, but it’s unclear for now what does will be about.
Now a sub-brand under Hyundai’s growing umbrella where the luxury Genesis brand also sits, Ioniq will grow to include two additional models in the coming years as an Ioniq 6 is being launched in 2022 to serve as a production version of the Prophecy concept. In 2024, a large SUV positioned above the Ioniq 5 will arrive.
Source: Hyundai
