Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid will have a 42 hp electric motor coupled with a 1.6-litre GDi petrol engine making a combined 144 horsepower; likely to be priced at around Rs. 25 lakh
As the Indian government is allowing more electric vehicles on the road with tax exemption and other attractive means to reduce air pollution and achieve its 2030 mission, the automakers have slowly started to respond. Some are introducing more petrol engines to their portfolio to curb the impact on environment while others are devising different strategies to grab a sizeable pie in the highly potential EV space.
However, the advent of GST had put more emphasise on EVs in contrary to hybrids due to excessive taxes being imposed. Hyundai, the second largest automaker in the country, is considering the domestic market entry of Ioniq hybrid vehicle as we have already reported. And for sustained profit and offset high tax levels, it is said to be planning to locally assemble the model. The Ioniq concept was revealed in December 2015 as the first all-electric concept from Hyundai. It has a versatile body to let customers choose from three powertrain options available namely electric, plug-in gasoline/electric hybrid or gasoline/electric hybrid.
Also Read: Hyundai Ioniq All-Electric Concept Revealed
Hyundai Ioniq was sold in five trim levels for the South Korea market: I, I+, N, N+ and Q initially as petrol-electric hybrid variant. It made European debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show before appearing at the New York Auto Show. It has continuously greeted media and spectators at different motor shows ever since.
A speculation emerged on the internet earlier suggested that the plug-in hybrid version with approximate 50 kilometre electric range and comes powered by a 8.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack is the favourite option for India. But the petrol/electric hybrid looks to be the one entering our market instead. As expected, the Ioniq has reportedly been confirmed to be showcased at the 2018 New Delhi Auto Expo in February before entering Indian market in perhaps the second half of that year.
Also Read: Hyundai Ioniq to be Initially Offered in Petrol/Electric Hybrid Variant
The electric motor generating 42 horsepower is linked with a 1.6-litre Kappa GDi four-cylinder petrol engine which is good enough to produce a maximum power of 102 hp and 147 Nm peak torque. The combined power output of 144 hp and 315 Nm torque and delivered to the through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Having a profile similar to the Toyota Prius, its design is influenced by the latest fluidic styling language from the Korean brand.
More than half of the structure has utilised Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) and lighter aluminium materials to slash down the weight for improved fuel efficiency. The flat-bottom steering wheel denotes the Ioniq can be sporty whereas the blue accents stand in line with the company’s ‘Blue Drive’ movement for zero-emission cars.
Also Read: Hyundai Ioniq Makes European Debut at 2016 Geneva Motor Show
On the inside, the Ioniq could comprise of a 5.0-inch colour LCD touchscreen infotainment system along with a host of other functions and a separate 4.2-inc LCD colour display on the dashboard. Some of the main features expected are LED headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, signature hexagonal grille, C-shaped DRLs, all-black interior theme with matte-silver accents, etc.
Additionally, Hyundai will be targeting locally-built Camry Hybrid and thus will be looking to introduce the Ioniq as a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) unit. It could be launched aggressively at around Rs. 25-30 lakh which will make it far more cheaper than its biggest rival, the Toyota Prius. A ambitious monthly target of 100 dispatches has been set to justify the local assembly. The hybrid sedan has a rated fuel efficiency of 29.41 kmpl and a CO2 emissions of 79 g/km.