By Alex Forrest
At $50,000 drive away, this is Australia’s cheapest fully electric car.
For a small car, that’s still quite expensive. With the same amount you could buy an Audi A3 with enough change for two years of yacht club membership.
But the new Hyundai Ioniq Electric is a big step in the right direction, not only for its price, but for the range offered by its 28kWh battery, which Hyundai claims is 230km.
On top of that though, there are two other models in the Ioniq range.
These comprise the Ioniq plug-in hybrid, which has an 8.9kWh battery you can charge and then drive short distances (up to 60km) on electricity only. Then there is the Ioniq Hybrid, which has the smallest battery (1.56kWh) and provides electric assistance to the petrol engine.
The upside of these electrified drivetrains in three different grades is exactly that: choice.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to the fully electric Ioniq, there are two other options, including the Ioniq Hybrid, which starts at $37,700 drive away.
If you're zapping about in the Ioniq Electric and do happen to run out of ions, it can also take on a lot of charge in a short time, providing the right charging stations are available.
Outside of the RAC Electric Highway, fast charging stations are currently thin on the ground in Western Australia, but if you can plug into one, it’ll charge your EV very quickly. The Ioniq Electric can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 23 minutes.
Where the Ioniq Electric obviously uses no liquid fuel at all, the plug-in Ioniq’s consumption will vary depending on how often you charge it and in turn, how often the petrol engine is called upon to step in and take charge, so to speak.
In the ADR test, the regular hybrid uses 3.4L/100km.
As the cheapest new EV in the market so far, and one with range that’s actually practical, the Ioniq Electric is placing competitive pressure on the rest of the industry to make low emissions cars cheaper.
On the EV stage in Australia, that’s its most important role of all.
| Price driveaway (as tested): | from $50,000 drive away |
|---|---|
| Engine: | Electric permanent magnet synchronous motor |
| Power: | 88kW |
| Torque: | 295Nm |
| Claimed battery range: | 230km |
| ANCAP Rating: | Not rated |
| Electric driving efficiency: | 115Wh/km |
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