Ioniq (stylized as IONIQ) is an automotive sub-brand and a division of Hyundai Motor Company with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The sub-brand was established in 2020 as a sub-brand for Hyundai's electric vehicle line-up.[1] The sub-brand is slated to aid Hyundai to achieve a targeted 1 million electric vehicle sales annually by 2025, with the Ioniq brand projected to contribute 560,000 of those sales.[2]
History
Before it was introduced as a sub-brand, the Ioniq name had been used for the 2012 Hyundai i-oniq concept, a small sporty hatchback that was equipped with a battery-electric drivetrain and a range-extending gasoline engine.[3][4] Between 2016 and 2022, the name was used for the Hyundai Ioniq, a compact liftback available with a choice of eco-friendly powertrains: gasoline hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full battery-electric;[5] the 2016 Ioniq was intended to compete with the Toyota Prius hybrid and Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicles.[6][7]
On 10 August 2020, the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group announced the launching of a new automotive brand called Ioniq (a portmanteau of "ion" and "unique", styled in all-capital letters as "IONIQ") in London, reserved for electric cars.[8][9] At the launch, the manufacturer revealed its plans to produce electric vehicles named 5, 6 and 7 and based on the Hyundai-Kia E-GMP common electric car platform presented at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.[10]
The first vehicle launched was the Ioniq 5, a crossover utility vehicle that was first sold in 2021. Hyundai is currently expanding its full-electric lineup to include the Ioniq 6, a sedan which will debut in Europe and South Korea in the second half of 2022, and the Ioniq 7 (currently Ioniq 9), a large sport-utility vehicle which is projected to hit the market in 2024.[11]
Vehicle with three seating rows, approximately the same size as the Hyundai Palisade.[15] Sibling vehicles to be marketed as Kia EV9 and Genesis GV90.[16]
The Ioniq 9mid-size crossover will be produced from November 2024. Previously known as the Ioniq 7 during development, it is the production model of the Seven concept car, which made its debut at the LA Motor Show in November 2021.[19]
Design
Under its numeric nomenclature, even numbers are reserved for sedans, while odd numbers are reserved for crossovers.[20][21] As a unifying design concept, Hyundai has included "Parametric Pixel" external light designs on each vehicle; these are small square lighting elements which Hyundai characterize as "a unique jewel-like design",[22] reminiscent of 8-bit video game graphics.[15]
In 2022, Hyundai chief of design SangYup Lee clarified there were three "pillars" consistent across the Ioniq brand:[23]
Living space-focused interior
Parametric Pixel
Sustainability and sustainable materials
Because the lineup is designed to embrace "diverse lifestyles ... rather than a one-size-fits-all approach", Lee noted that each model will follow a different theme. The E-GMP platform enables a flat floor inside, giving designers more freedom to personalize the interior for the intended use. For example, the Ioniq 6 has a "mindful cocoon" theme.[23]
Hyundai have exhibited several models in its Heritage Series, which are one-off electromod vintage Hyundai vehicles that have been restored and converted with an electric vehicle powertrain; the head- and tail-lights of Heritage Series models share the same "Parametric Pixel" design language as the Ioniq line. Technical details of the powertrains fitted to the Heritage Series vehicles were not disclosed.[24][25] The Pony Heritage was part of the "Reflections in Motion" exhibition at Hyundai Motorstudio Busan (April 8–27 June 2021) alongside the 45 EV and Prophecy concepts;[26][27] the pixelated lights of the Pony Heritage were animated, which Hyundai called the "Pixel Roadtrip".[28]