Hyundai Ioniq Electric Car India Debut Possible at Auto Expo 2018
The South Korean automaker recently announced the first of its future electric models i.e. the Ioniq. Hyundai Motor India plans to introduce an electric car for each segment it is currently present in and is planning to go 100% electric by 2030. The company is focusing on launching three new electric vehicles by the year 2021. The Hyundai Ioniq electric car being the very first of them will be building a base for future models and will provide Hyundai with enough consumer data to plan accordingly.
The news comes in just days after the Japanese giants, Suzuki and Toyota announced their joint venture to develop electric vehicles in India. The former will be providing manufacturing facility for the final product while the latter will bring in tech support and its expertise in electric\hybrid vehicles.
ALSO SEE- Upcoming Hyundai Cars | Hyundai Cars at Auto Expo 2018
Hyundai Ioniq Electric Car India Launch Date and Price
The front-wheel-drive Ioniq will be 100% electric and is likely to come to us via CKD route to keep prices competitive. Under current government specification, the electric car should attract a duty of 13% allowing the company to price it competitively. The company rules out the hybrid/plug-in hybrid variant as they attract 43% duty under GST.The Ioniq electric vehicle will be on display at the 2018 Auto Expo and the launch is expected to take place sometime next year. We expect Hyundai to price it between INR 15-20 lakh.
Hyundai Ionic Electric Car India Specifications
The upcoming Hyundai Ioniq features a 28.0 kWh Lithium-ion battery that powers the motors on the front wheels. The total output of the drivetrain is 118 hp of power and 218 lb-ft of torque. At first, these numbers might not seem healthy but unlike a petrol/diesel powered car, all the torque will be available right at 0 rpm.
As standard, the Ioniq electric will feature brake regeneration and will allow the user to adjust the level of energy regeneration. Fast charging option for the battery will be offered standard as well. The drive selector feature shift-by-wire technology which translates to no physical connection between the gear selector and the final drive.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric Car Interior Features
The Hyundai Ioniq looks and feels futuristic as soon as you step into the cabin. The dashboard is well laid out and features a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play. The push-button gear selector looks unique and several buttons are laid out around it neatly. The electric car features an automatic climate control with auto-defogging function.
Both the front passengers enjoy 6-way electrically-adjustable seats with heating function. The ignition button features illumination in various colours to notify the driver of the current state of the drivetrain. The boot holds a decent 674-litres of luggage and the rear bench can be folded down in 60-40 configuration to further increasing loading capacity.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric Car Exterior Dimensions and Features
The Hyundai Ioniq electric vehicle extends to a length, width and height of 4,470 mm, 1,821 and 1,450 mm respectively. The electric car holds a wheelbase of 2,700 mm and stands 140 mm above the ground. These specifications will match the model launched in India except for the ground clearance, which, we expect to differ as the Indian model will feature different size wheels and tyres. The Ioniq weighs 1435 kg and the body is built of high-tensile steel. Lastly, thanks to a redesigned bumper and grille, the Ioniq boasts of a segment-leading drag coefficient(Cd) of 0.24.
The Ioniq features LED lights all around and feature automatic headlight control as standard. A cool little feature named door handle approach light will light up the handle as you unlock the car or approach the vehicle to enter. The body-coloured, outside rear view mirrors are electrically adjustable but have to be folded manually and feature heating function as standard. Last, but probably the best, the Ioniq will come with sun-control glass all around to help keep the cabin temperature as low as possible by filtering out a certain spectrum of light.
Hyundai Ioniq Electric Car Safety Features
The Ioniq sold in the US features a long list of safety features but we believe much less to be offered on the final product in India. Don’t worry, the company doesn’t intend to hamper your safety in any way, its just that functions like Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) need great infrastructure in place, which sadly, we lack. this would also allow the company to price the electric car more competitively.
What’s on offer will be ABS(Anti-lock braking system), EBD(Electronic Brake-Force Distribution ), TCS(Traction Control System) and 7 airbags including a knee airbag for the driver. These conclude the list of active safety features to be available on the upcoming Ioniq.
Check out the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Gallery Below
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