Hyundai has lifted the covers off the Ioniq 3, its new electric hatchback that will arrive in the UK this year priced from around £25,000.
Positioned as a rival to small electric cars such as the Renault 5 and larger alternatives including the Volkswagen ID 3, it is described by Hyundai as an ‘aerohatch’ – a sleek new form conceived with the goal of maximising aerodynamic efficiency.
This approach has resulted in a raked roofline, similar to that employed by the old Hyundai Veloster, ending with a prominent duck-tail rear spoiler. The rear lip is moulded into the leading edge of the boot, but range-topping N Line cars get an extension for a sportier look. The front end, meanwhile, was sculpted to have the smallest frontal area possible.
Its efforts have yielded a drag coefficient of 0.26, which is better than the smaller but chunkier Renault 5 (0.29). As a result, the Ioniq 3 is said to be capable of driving 208 miles between charges when fitted with the standard 42.2kWh battery or 309 miles with the larger, 61kWh pack.
Lead exterior designer Manuel Schöttle said Hyundai began with the most efficient shape in aerodynamic terms for the Ioniq 3, but added it was “important to make sure it didn’t look like a soap bar”.
He said it was Hyundai’s first electric car designed in Europe, and noted that it uses Hyundai’s new Art of Steel design language.
Yet the radical silhouette also brought several compromises inside the Ioniq 3. For example, the roofline’s rake ate into the boot space, and the small front end combined with the model’s front-wheel-drive configuration meant there was no space for a frunk. The workaround was to create a large cargo space below the floor, similar to the ‘Gigabox’ in the Ford Puma Gen-E increasing load space from 322 to 441 litres. Indeed, that raked design also ate into rear cabin space, so Hyundai carved into the car’s headlining to free up a few millimetres more head room.
The Ioniq 3’s cabin was designed to free the driver of as much distraction as possible. Lead interior designer Victor Andrean said the “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” philosophy brought a rethink of the dashboard’s layout.
That resulted in a thin new digital instrument panel that is set notably higher than in existing Hyundais; it is paired with a smaller steering wheel, resulting in a similar set-up to Peugeot’s i-Cockpit.
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Something doesn't add up with "the front end, meanwhile, was sculpted to have the smallest frontal area possible" since frontal area is the area of the car when viewed from the front. The shape of the front-end can't effect that.
Cool looking car though!
Indeed. Form affects Cd, not the frontal area. Anyway, I kinda like this car -definitely more visually compelling than the Cupra Raval- includin its cabin (the shelf in front of the front passenger is reminiscent of the restyled Renault 5s of the 1970s) although I am a little skeptical about adopting what looks like a revised Peugeot i-Cockpit. I'm curious to see it in real life. However, I don't think that a shred of aerodynamic penetration or a handful of extra range could be decisive in a comparison with the electric Renault 5, which is an instant classic.
The exterior looks great. Not too keen on the interior, it's a bit bland. I don't think they should design for fads like carrying water bottles that are too large for people's actual daily requirements.