Yes, the 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric gets a big range boost, to 170 miles, with a bigger (38-kwh vs. 28-kwh) battery pack. And yes, its power rises to 134 hp, from last year’s 118 hp.
If you’ve kept up with your electric-car news here, you know those headlines were delivered months ago, with Hyundai’s announcement of the upgraded Ioniq Electric for the European market, and then some weeks ago with the EPA’s confirmation of the higher numbers for the U.S. What remained to be confirmed came down to nuance: What additional features will the U.S. get in this revamped super-efficient electric car, and how will that change prices for a model that’s been offered with some awesome lease deals.
One welcome piece of news is that the Ioniq Electric takes a nod from the Kona Electric and adopts one-pedal driving, allowing drivers to completely stop the vehicle by holding the left steering-wheel paddle—without any need to touch the brake pedal. There’s also a Smart Regenerative Braking feature that automatically figures out the best level of regen based on traffic ahead of the vehicle and the terrain.
2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric
With the Ioniq’s new 7.2-kw onboard charger, in U.S.-market spec it can get a full charge in just over 6 hours on Level 2 (240V), or it can get 80 percent in 57 minutes on a 50-kw CCS DC fast charger, or 54 minutes for the same on a 100-kw charger. For 2020, it retains Hyundai’s lifetime warranty against battery-pack failure.
Another new feature for the Ioniq Electric is the available Highway Driving Assist and Lane Following Assist, and all models include automatic emergency braking, high-beam assist, and a driver attention warning as standard.
The Ioniq’s cabin has been touched up as well, with a new look to the upper and lower instrument-panel trim, dark-chrome accents, customizable ambient lighting, and piano-key controls. Climate controls have been moved to touch controls surrounding the touch screen—in top Limited models a 10.25-inch system with navigation.
Base Ioniq Electric SE models now include adaptive cruise control and a larger 8.0-inch (versus last year’s 7.0-inch) infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Electric Limited models also come with LED headlamps, Harman Kardon premium audio, ambient interior lighting, a pedestrian detection system, and a Highway Driving Assist feature.
The Ioniq Electric’s additional Eco+ mode provides a way of extending range “during unforeseeable emergency situations.” With 170 miles of range, we would guess fewer drivers of the Ioniq Electric will need that, though.
The 2020 Ioniq Electric will start arriving before the end of the year, primarily to the states following California’s EV mandate.
