The Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan may be delayed for a "significant redesign" that could add more range, The Korea Economic Daily reported Monday.
Based on the Hyundai Prophecy concept, the Ioniq 6 is scheduled to be the second model for Hyundai's all-electric Ioniq sub-brand, following the Ioniq 5 compact crossover. The Ioniq 5 is scheduled to launch in the United States this fall.
The Ioniq 6 was originally scheduled to launch in early 2022, but that is now being pushed back by two to three months, according to the report, which cites on anonymous sources with access to internal Hyundai documents. The target is now May or June 2022, the report said.
One reason for the delay is a decision to increase the size of the battery pack from 72.6 kwh to 77.4 kwh—the size offered in the U.S.-spec Ioniq 5—to allow for an estimated 310-mile range, according to the report.
Hyundai Prophecy concept
Both the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 are based on Hyundai's new modular E-GMP platform, which will also be used for EVs from sibling brands Kia and Genesis. The Ioniq 6 will be built at a factory in Asan, South Korea, that currently builds the Hyundai Sonata sedan, the report said.
The Ioniq 6 will also debut a "lighting grille" with integrated LED elements that can be used to communicate with other vehicles or pedestrians, the report said. The use of flashing lights has been discussed repeatedly as a potential substitute for driver-to-driver eye contact and hand gestures for future autonomous cars.
The company isn't yet willing to comment on how this might affect the model's U.S. rollout, but it's giving some clues that there is indeed a delay. "Ioniq 6's product launch schedule and specifications have not been decided yet," Hyundai Motor America said in an official response to Green Car Reports—notably stepping back from the 2022 arrival that it had confirmed for the U.S. last year.
The 2022 calendar year is an important milestone for Hyundai. It's said that it will have at least 10 electrified vehicles in its U.S. lineup by then—including plug-in hybrids.
The automaker will also reportedly build EVs in the U.S. starting in 2022—and perhaps with its Ioniq 7 SUV. This third model for the Ioniq sub-brand is scheduled to launch in 2024.
