Hyundai Ioniq electric car to be showcased on 7th February at 2018 Auto Expo

Hyundai India has confirmed that they will showcase the 2018 Ioniq sedan at the Auto Expo on 7th February 2018. The car will be unveiled alongside the official launch of the Elite i20 facelift. Hyundai will also showcase other electric powered products like the Hyundai Kona electric SUV at the event. The Ioniq could make its Indian debut later this year and Hyundai is bringing the vehicle to the Indian market to gauge the customer response.

The Ioniq is available in many international markets and is available in three powertrains – hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric. It is an all-new platform developed by the Korean manufacturer to address the future mobility. Earlier it was rumoured that Hyundai will launch the hybrid version of the vehicle to the Indian shores but due to increase in taxes on the hybrid vehicles and India’s target to become an all-electric vehicle nation by 2030 has caused the change of plans.

If Hyundai finds Ioniq suitable for India, we may see a CKD version of the vehicle that will be assembled in India. This will keep the cost quite competitive in the price-sensitive market. Hyundai India CEO, YK Koo has revealed that they will launch the first electric car in India next year. It is expected that they will launch the Kona SUV first as the SUVs are preferred segment of vehicles in India and are much more popular than the sedans.

Talking about the powerplant, the Hyundai Ioniq electric is powered by a 28 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that takes 9-10 hours to charge completely through regular sockets at home. It also gets quick charging that reduces the charging time to 4-5 hours. The battery powers a 118 Bhp – 295 Nm electric motor. The Ioniq can do about 200 km. The batteries can also be charged through regenerative brake forces. The price is expected to be around Rs. 20 lakh.