Recently, Hyundai Motor was found to be testing a camouflage prototype of a compact electric sedan called the Ioniq 6.
Under such heavy camouflage, while it may seem like a modern interpretation of the Dodge Neon SRT-4, the final design is expected to resemble the stunning modern Prophecy concept car launched in 2020.
Some unusual features of the Prophecy Concept, such as joystick steering, will not go into production. But some of the concept car's styling features can be seen on the camouflage prototypes tested, such as pixel-style headlights and propeller-style wheels to reduce air resistance.
The Ioniq 6 is coming soon, which means we should see it appear as a model for the 2023 model. It will be built on Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP modular EV platform, which debuted in the Ioniq 5 and is shared with the associated Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60 (Geniseys GV60), which will also support Hyundai's large crossover Ioniq 7, which will be launched in 2024.
Under the E-GMP platform, zero-hundred acceleration time takes only 3.5 seconds, the top speed is 260 km/h, and the range is close to 483 km/h, and these parameter settings may be reserved for the Ioniq 6 N performance top model, which Hyundai has mocked in the past. Hyundai is already developing the Ioniq 5 N and already has a 576 hp Kia EV6 GT.
The E-GMP platform also features an electrical system of 800 volts, which makes charging at high kilowatt ratings possible – we are talking about charging 0% to 80% in 18 minutes. Another feature is two-way charging, which enables vehicles under the E-GMP platform to power devices and homes, and even other electric vehicles.
Hyundai announced plans to invest $7.4 billion in its U.S. operations by 2025 in 2021, much of which will be used to increase production of electric vehicles, meaning the Ioniq 6 is likely to be the first to be in production and market in the U.S. The Ioniq 6 will compete directly with the Tesla Model 3 and, to a lesser extent, with the better BMW i4 and Polestar 2.