- Hyundai’s new electric Ioniq V starts at the equivalent of just $17,800 in China.
- Top-spec Long Range version claims 404-mile range yet still costs only $20,800.
- China’s V not available in US or Europe gets huge screens, Lambo-look styling.
When Hyundai launched the original Ioniq Hybrid in America in 2017, it started at $22,200. Almost a decade later, Chinese buyers can order an entirely new, fully electric Ioniq sedan for less. The wedgy Ioniq V has entered pre-sales at just 119,900 yuan, which equates to only $17,800 at current exchange rates. That’s nearly $3,000 less than the cheapest new car in America right now, which also happens to be a Hyundai, the Venue.
That’s for the Standard Edition. Upping the spend to 129,900 yuan ($19,300) gets the Smart Driving Edition, while 139,900 yuan ($20,800) buys the Long Range model, Auto Home reports. Those are some startling numbers when viewed from America or Europe, and remind us how cutthroat the competition is in the Chinese car market.
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The Ioniq V is a China-focused model developed under Beijing Hyundai, and despite what the prices suggest, it’s no cramped subcompact. At 4,900 mm (193 inches) long with a 2,900 mm (114-inch) wheelbase, it occupies roughly the same footprint as a Hyundai Sonata or a Toyota Camry. The Sonata measures 193.3 inches long on a 111.8-inch wheelbase; the Camry 193.5 inches on a 111.2-inch wheelbase.
The Ioniq V wraps frameless doors and fastback proportions around some properly cyberpunk styling, and the paint chart runs eight colors deep, well past the silvers and grays Western buyers get stuck with. Cyber Gold, Gamma Green and a funky Dimensional Purple are all on the list.
Inside, there’s a vast 27-inch 4K display running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 chip, plus a head-up display. Hyundai has also thrown Chinese AI models from Baidu and ByteDance into the infotainment system, while Momenta supplies the driver-assistance technology. Hyundai’s site additionally boasts nine airbags and extensive active safety equipment.
404 Miles Of Range, But Not Really
Power comes from a single electric motor with either 188 hp (191 PS / 140 kW) or 225 hp (228 PS / 178 kW). CATL supplies 53.5 kWh and 66.8 kWh LFP batteries, producing four claimed CLTC ranges spanning 323 to 404 miles (520 to 650 km). Those optimistic Chinese-cycle numbers don’t translate directly into equivalent EPA range, naturally, but even if they’re 20 percent lower the value proposition is difficult to ignore.
There’s no guarantee the Ioniq V will ever reach Western showrooms, much less at anything resembling Chinese pricing. Or that Hyundai will ever create the N version to capitalize on that Lamborghini-esque design, even though our own renders suggest it would look fantastic. But $17,800 for a brand-new electric sedan this stylish sounds like a great deal whichever side of the Pacific you’re on.
