Hyundai Ioniq hybrid car teased in new images ~ station of gear

Hyundai teases Toyota Prius-rivalling Ioniq: the first car to come with electric, hybrid and plug-in powertrains

2015-12-16 02:00

After confirming that the model will be built earlier this month, Hyundai has released teasers of its Ioniq Toyota Prius rival. It's set to be the world's first production car with fully electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options in the range.

The Ioniq is expected to be shown in full early on in 2016, but these official images give us an idea of both the exterior and interior design of the production car. The Korean firm claims the outside has been primarily designed to offer "class-leading aerodynamic performance".

The front 3/4 image shows a saloon shape with a sharp shoulderline and a coupe-like roofline at the rear, although the car is expected to be a full hatchback like the Prius. The interior view shows a cabin with design cues from the Tucson, but with a digital dash and a more futuristic feel. Hyundai claims "eco-friendly" materials have been used.

The new car is based on a new platform, specially developed to house the lithium-ion batteries on board. The batteries will be used to save fuel in the hybrid models, and of course, provide all the power to the electric motors that drive the wheels in the fully-electric version.

It's likely to go on sale in the UK in September 2016 in electric and hybrid guises, with the plug-in hybrid following on at a later date. The Ioniq name is a combination of the word ion, an electrically-charged atom, and the word' unique'.

• "Hyundai has been transforming how people buy cars"

Woong-Chul Yang, Hyundai's R&D boss, said: “Our vision for future mobility focuses on choice, with a variety of powertrain options to suit customers’ varied lifestyles, without compromising on design or driving enjoyment. IONIQ is the fruit of our efforts to become the leader in the global green car market.”

The Hyundai Ioniq will be revealed in full in January, and will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2016.

What do you think of the Hyundai Ioniq? Let us know below...

Lawrence Allan

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