Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology - July 2021
Fifth gear
Leon Poultney 2021-07-20 03:34:21
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Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is as close to a concept car for the road as it gets and is the first BEV to ride on the marque’s newest Electric-Global Modular Platform
Whether it’s Volkswagen with its ID badge, or Mercedes-Benz with the EQ moniker, almost all of the major automotive manufacturers are frantically trying to compartmentalize the model line-up into ageing ICE technology and future electric vehicles.
Hyundai may have been one of the earlier adopters of battery and electric motor technology but it is only now that it unveils the Ioniq 5 - a model the Korean marque hopes will kick-start an electric revolution that will spawn further Ioniq-badged vehicles that cover all of the popular segments.
Billed as a “midsize CUV”, the Ioniq 5 blends hatchback styling cues with the increased ride height and aggressive styling of a modern SUV or crossover. It also has plenty of retro-futuristic nods to the Hyundai Pony, the brand’s very first production car that was produced some 45-years ago.
The link might be stylistically tenuous, but the Ioniq 5 is also the first vehicle to be built on Hyundai Motor Group’s brand new dedicated BEV architecture, dubbed the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).
“Our front-wheel driven Hyundai and Kia BEVs are already among the most efficient ones in their segments,” says Albert Biermann, president and head of R&D division for Hyundai Motor Group. “With our rear-wheel driven based E-GMP, we are extending our technological leadership into segments where customers demand excellent driving dynamics and outstanding efficiency.”
Ioniq 5 will be the first Hyundai vehicle to support both 400V and 800V charging infrastructures, putting it in a league of just two cars currently on sale (the other being the immensely more expensive Porsche Taycan). This will allow future customers to make the most of rapid charging, such as Ionity’s 350kW outlets, a company which Hyundai has invested in and is now a strategic partner and shareholder.
Customers are able to select from two battery pack options, either 58kWh or 72.6kWh, and two electric motor layouts, either with a rear motor only or with both front and rear motors. Despite predominantly being pitched as a family-friendly vehicle, the most powerful all-wheel-drive configuration develops a heady 310PS (306hp) and 605Nm of torque and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds. This is all with a projected range of between 470-480 km (or around 300 miles).
Hyundai puts its punchy performance down to the E-GMP’s power electric (PE) system, which is made up of a powerful motor, the EV transmission and an inverter. In the Ioniq 5, these three components are integrated into a single compact module. According to its engineers, this module’s motor can run at a maximum speed that’s up to 70% faster than existing motors.
“The previous platform we had was perfect for the diesel and gasoline engines that were in the range, but it perhaps wasn’t right for our current electric drivetrain,” explains Michael Winkler, head of Ioniq 5 powertrain.
“We have so much torque here, that front wheel drive isn’t the solution now. Things have been turned on it heads with the new platform and we are able to design the car we want around this amazing new powertrain, rather than apply a new technology to an existing concept,” he adds.
Hyundai has a strategic partner with Croatian car manufacturer and battery technology provider Rimac, but Winkler claims Hyundai’s latest powertrain has been designed and developed entirely in-house. “We are working with Rimac on various electric projects but the Ioniq 5 was developed and designed 100% in our Namyang and European design centers. The 800V technology is also our own patent.”
Lightening the load
It is becoming common for owners of electric vehicles to use the onboard batteries to power appliances, homes and support the grid in times of crisis. Nissan, for example, has long been a purveyor of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), while the bi-directional charging capabilities of its Leaf model were highlighted in a Re-Leaf emergency vehicle concept last year.
But the Ioniq 5 is actively promoting its vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, which will allow its owners to charge everything from a household appliance to another electric vehicle thanks to a pair of 3.6kW outlets. One is located under the second-row seats, and it can be activated when the vehicle is on. Another V2L port is located at the charging port on the vehicle exterior. Using a converter, customers can charge high-power electric equipment and the outside port provides power even when the vehicle is turned off.
There is also the option to specify a solar roof in the more expensive variants, which draws energy from the sun’s rays and tops up the onboard batteries, improving efficiency. The solar roof can also continually add charge to the batteries when parked, allowing owners to make greater use of the onboard batteries when camping, for example, without drastically reducing range.
“Owners will be able to charge anything they want using our V2L technology. Customers cannot feed the grid at the moment, but they can charge a variety of things, from electric bikes and scooters to camping equipment. The only limit we have is that it’s a battery after all, so as long as the state of charge is above 15%, owners can access the power,” explains Winkler.
He admits that the company played things cautiously with its first electric vehicles, stating that Hyundai wanted to gradually introduce the idea of an EV to its customer base.
“We felt that electrifying existing models was the way to go with the likes of Kona Electric, but feel now is the right time to do something different. The Ioniq 5 was our chance to release something that’s as close to a concept car for the road as we could,” he says.
Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer and the man responsible for the Ioniq 5’s interior and exterior styling, builds on this point, stating that everyone close to the project looked at this car as a blank canvas. “Even small things, like the fact we don’t have a badge on the steering wheel and that we questioned why infotainment screens needed to be black, make a huge difference to the way this car looks and feels to sit in. It’s a more approachable space that feels comfortable to relax in and enjoy when the car is charging, for example,” Donckerwolke says.
It’s a brave new world for Hyundai Motor Group and the Ioniq 5 is just the beginning, as it represents the first of 11 dedicated BEV vehicles that Korean marque will release by 2025 - cars that will help Hyundai reach its goal of selling more than one million BEVs worldwide by the year 2025.
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Fifth gear
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