IAB reader Cibhi Sp spotted the Hyundai Ioniq Electric in Chennai last week. Recall that the pure electric variant was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018.
Hyundai was evaluating the Ioniq Electric and the Kona Electric for India, and from these, it has selected the latter for commercialization first. The model with a hatchback-like profile could be decided for the market based on the customer reactions to the Kona.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric has a unique front-end to set itself apart from the hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. The grille gives way to a clean and sleek surface, as there’s no need to air cool an engine. Other differentiators include LED headlamps and rear combination lamps with a unique pattern, distinctive alloy wheels, copper-coloured character line below the bumpers and copper-coloured interior accents.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric uses a 28 kWh Lithium-ion polymer battery pack located underneath the rear seats that provides a range (NEDC) of over 280 km. The car’s electric motor develops 88 kW (120 PS) and 295 Nm of torque, and its top speed is 165 km/h.
The Hyundai Ioniq Electric has a 6.6 kW onboard charger, and using a 7 kW wallbox it takes 4 hours 25 minutes to charge the battery pack from empty to 100% charge. Using a 100 kW quick charger, charging up to 80% takes about 23 minutes.
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Hyundai will use the Kona Electric to understand the market for EVs in India, and then, it will manufacture low-cost, high-volume EVs that fall in A and/or B segment. The company plans to make India a production hub for its entry-level EVs.
