EV IONIQ 5, the first model under the EV exclusive brand IONIQ, which was unveiled bY Hyundai Motor on Feb. 23. (Photos: Hyundai Motor)

Hyundai Motor unveiled the EV IONIQ 5, the first model under the EV brand IONIQ, worldwide on Feb. 23.

The IONIQ 5 is the first model made with Hyundai Motor’s exclusive EV platform dubbed “E-GMP,” a scheme designed to make EVs popular.

Pre-sale orders opened on Feb. 25. The IONIQ 5 will officially hit the market in April. The EV model will be released in Europe and North America later this year.

Hyundai Motor said IONIQ 5 will take on Tesla, which dominates the global EV market.

IONIQ 5 boasts of a spacious interior. Its crossover body achieves unique proportions and short overhangs due to its elongated wheelbase.

Measuring 4,635-mm long, 1,890-mm wide and 1,605-mm tall on a 3,000-mm wheelbase, IONIQ 5 offers D-segment-like space in a midsize CUV.

A Hyundai Motor official said the employment of the exclusive EV platform enabled the creation of the spacious interior by breaking conventional design elements.

Hyundai Motor Executive Vice President Lee Sang-yup, in charge of design, said Hyundai Motor did its utmost to secure an indoor space, not wasting an inch.

IONIQ 5’s unique exterior design is characterized by clean and sharp lines, creating a sleek and sophisticated look.

IONIQ 5’s distinctive and innovative design provides a unique experience that can only be enjoyed in dedicated EVs, suggesting a fundamental shift in the approach to design.

Its front end is adorned with arrays of pixel-inspired lights suggestive of the digital technology within. Aero-optimized wheels further echo the Parametric Pixel design theme, offered in a super-sized 20-inch diameter, the largest rims ever fitted to a Hyundai EV.

The model’s modular dashboard includes a 12-inch full-touch infotainment screen exempt of hard buttons and a hoodless 12-inch digital gauge cluster that displays EV-related information while driving, such as battery status and nearby charging stations.

Adjacent to the digital gauge cluster is a metal insert that can accommodate a multi-purpose tray holder.

IONIQ 5 comes with two versions that have a different battery capacity. The long-range version, with a 72.6kWh battery, is capable of running between 410 km and 430 km per charge.

It takes 5.2 seconds for the model to reach 100 km per hour from a stationary situation. It is fitted with both a 400V general charging system and a 800V high-speed charging system can charge up to 80 percent of its full capacity in 18 minutes. It is capable of running a maximum of 100 km with a five-minute charge.

The IONIQ 5 is an EV exclusive model inheriting the spirit of the EV Concept 45. Hyundai released five videos, including the IONIQ 5 teaser through its global YouTube channel. These videos show what makes the company’s first EV IONIQ 5 different from its competitors.

An interior view of Hyundai IONIQ 5.

‘The new horizon of EV’, a 30-second teaser filled with graphic motion, introduces the three distinctive features of the IONIQ 5.

The first feature is ‘Extra power for life’, which shows three dots on a white background, symbolizing a plug, that represents V2L (Vehicle to Load; it allows the vehicles to freely use electricity that is stored in their batteries).

Current EVs could only use electrical energy to power itself, but the next-generation EV, IONIQ 5, implies that it can power other electronic devices not only inside the vehicle but also outside the vehicle using the V2L system.

The second feature is ‘Extra time for you’, which emphasizes the super-fast charging function.

The video shows how the battery’s charge is rapidly filling up, which can save up valuable time in your everyday life.

In fact, E-GMP, an electric vehicle platform that will be installed in the IONIC 5, has an 800V charging system and can be charged up to 80% within 18 minutes using a super-fast charger.

The third feature is ‘Extraordinary experience’, which implies not only the new experiences that EVs can offer, such as V2L and super-fast charging system, but also the new lifestyle that IONIQ 5 will offer to customers.