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Launching in Australia in 2023, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 followed the Ioniq 5 as a more aerodynamically efficient sedan, with a more sporting look to join its boxier electric car sibling.
Competing with the extremely popular Tesla Model 3, the Ioniq 6 is available in either rear- or all-wheel drive, and with its largest 77.4kWh has a WLTP range of up to 614km.
Fitting best into the sedan segment, the Ioniq 6 hasn’t proved as popular as more SUV-like EVs (such as the closely related Ioniq 5) but its place as an alternative option for EV buyers remains, with prices starting from around $66,500 before on-roads.
The line-up currently starts at $66,500 for the Ioniq 6 2WD (53.0Kwh) and ranges through to $89,500 for the range-topping Ioniq 6 Epiq DSM AWD (77.4Kwh).
The sleek interior is dominated by a two-section dash divided horizontally by a swoopy winged insert and topped with a pair of 12.3-inch screens covering multimedia and instrumentation. The look and feel is minimalist. A lot of the controls are on screen or digital, but a physical dial for audio volume gets a big safety and convenience tick. No gearshift in the bridge-like centre console. A rotary stalk is located behind the steering wheel on the right-hand side.
Quoted WLTP range for the RWD Dynamiq is 614km, that number dropping to 519km for the more powerful, dual-motor Techniq and Epiq models.
There are three ways of charging the Hyundai Ioniq 6 – two at home methods, and one in public. It is recommended that owners of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 purchase a three-phase 11kW at-home wall charger box. These retail for anywhere from $800 to $2000, depending on the manufacturer and the power supply, with additional charges of 21 to 36 centw per kW, depending on your energy provider. Additional costs can be zero if you’re hooked up to a renewable source such as solar. All up, it will deliver a charge time of five hours for the Standard Range variant and seven hours for the Long Range. The other at-home method is through a conventional 240V powerpoint, which takes about 25 hours on the Standard Range variant and 37 hours on the Long Range variant. A public charging station of 50kW will deliver a zero to 80 per cent charge in one hour for the Standard range, rising to 1.6 hours on the Long Range, while a 350kW charger will see the time it takes drop to 18 minutes on both variants. Cost is dependent on location, whether it is a peak period or not, and what the charger’s capacity is, though as a general rule you should never pay more than $40 for a full charge.
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Equipment highlights for the entry-grade Dynamiq include dual-zone climate control, twin 12.3-inch screens covering multimedia and instrumentation, sat nav, a head-up display, Bose eight-speaker audio (with digital radio), leather-appointed seats, 10-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, a power (hands-free) boot lid and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Techniq adds a glass sunroof, 20-inch alloys shod with Pirelli P Zero rubber, ventilated front ‘relaxation’ seats and more while the Epiq tips in digital side mirrors and a battery conditioning system.
The entry-grade Dynamiq features a 168kW/350Nm permanent magnet synchronous electric motor on the rear axle. The all-wheel drive Techniq and Epiq models feature an additional permanent magnet motor at the front for a combined output of 239kW/605Nm.
The Ioniq 6 is a five-seat sedan, and the front seat remains comfy after hours behind the wheel. Hyundai says thanks to the use of high strength steel the backs of the front ‘relaxation’ seats fitted to AWD models are appreciably thinner than normal, increasing rear space.
Boot space is 410 litres (VDA), and the rear backrest split-folds 60/40 to liberate more room. Worth noting there are no tie-down anchors in the boot, but there is an underfloor storage compartment, plus a 45L ‘frunk’ under the bonnet of the RWD and a 14.5L storage space in the front of AWD models.
Tesla claims the RWD Ioniq 6 Dyamiq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds, with the AWD Techniq or Epiq hitting 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds. Expect a top speed of 185km/h for all grades.