The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been treated to some running upgrades in Europe and the UK, and they could serve as a guide for what’s coming to Australia.
Hyundai Australia hasn’t confirmed if we’ll see similar changes in the Ioniq 5, but it’s expected at least some of the MY23 changes – namely the larger battery – for Europe and the UK will be brought here at some point.
Local Ioniq 5 models are closely aligned with European specifications. Given the UK is the only major right-hand drive market in that region, its specification gives an indication of the Australian prospects for these upgrades.
Overseas model shown
As previously reported by CarExpert, Hyundai’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle (EV) is now available with a larger 77.4kWh long-range battery pack, which raises the maximum driving range to 506km.
That’s up from the 72.kWh capacity of the current Australian model. Variants with this battery are treated to an 8kW power boost, while the new range claim is a 55km improvement on the maximum figure quoted by Australian models.
A new battery heater and conditioning features are standard on 2023 Ioniq 5 models in Europe, allowing the vehicle to “adapt its battery temperature while travelling to support optimal charging conditions when reaching the charging point”.
Hyundai claims this system improves real-world charging “in hot or cold ambient conditions”, and automatically activates when a Fast or Ultra Rapid charger address is entered into the Ioniq 5’s navigation using connected routing.
Overseas model shown
Beyond the upgraded long-range battery pack, the 2023 Ioniq 5 in Europe debuts features previously exclusive to the South Korean market.
Newly available are Digital Side Mirrors, which replace conventional wing mirrors with slim camera units projecting a live feed into OLED displays on both sides of the cabin – similar to those offered by the Audi e-tron.
European models will also be available with a Digital Centre Mirror which uses a rear-facing camera mounted in the rear spoiler to provide “an unobstructed, panoramic rear-facing view of the car” much like various other brands on the market.
Rounding out the changes for Europe and the UK is the introduction of the panoramic glass roof available with the flagship Namsan Edition for the UK market, though this feature is already standard on Australian models.
Overseas model shown
If the larger battery and new tech features be made available to the Australian market, it’s unclear exactly when that could happen given the Ioniq 5’s crippled supply due to high global demand.
Speaking with CarExpert back in November, Hyundai Australia’s product development manager, Tim Rodgers, said while the local division wants to expand the variant mix beyond the current trim, two drivetrain strategy, the primary focus for now is open up supply for our market.
“Right now, every single one we’re getting is being sold,” Mr Rodgers said, “so really, for the first-adopter market we’re thinking of sticking to that high-trim model for now”.
“But in the year to come, I think our volume opportunity will actually expand and we’re getting ‘ok’ volume with that car. So we might be able to play with that towards the end of the year – let’s see though, it might come sooner.”
Australian model pictured
Mr Rodgers added: “There’s a few little changes that have been talked about already spec-wise, so I think you’ll see something happen next year. At first it’s going to be minor for sure”.
The Digital Side Mirrors are believed to be one of the features Hyundai Australia has on its wish list, as well as a solar roof in place of the panoramic glass roof which can trickle charge the battery when the vehicle is parked.
While the company’s local product development manager wouldn’t disclose a numeric target for supply, the first allocation of vehicles in late 2021 amounted to around 240 units – down on the original forecast of 400 vehicles.
All were sold within hours of order books opening via a dedicated online portal, with the second allocation due earlier this year.
Overseas model shown
Currently, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is offered in a single trim level with both single- and dual-motor electric drivetrain options.
Pricing starts at $71,900 before on-road costs for the Ioniq 5 2WD and climbs to $75,900 before on-roads for the Ioniq 5 AWD – though it’s currently not available to order and actual pricing may have changed since launch.
The Ioniq 2WD is powered by a rear-mounted 160kW/350Nm electric motor with a 0-100 time of 7.4 seconds, while the AWD adds a second motor on the front axle for a total of 225kW/605Nm, reducing the 0-100 time to 5.2 seconds.
All Australian models feature the 72.6kWh battery as standard (a smaller 58kWh unit is available abroad), quoting up to 451km of driving range for the 2WD and 430km in AWD guise – both WLTP-certified.
It has 400V and 800V charging capability and can be charged at up to 10.5kW with AC power and up to 350kW with DC fast charging, the latter allowing you to charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 17 minutes. The Ioniq 5 also features an external vehicle-to-load function that can provide up to 3.6kW of power.
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