- Meet the Hyundai Ioniq 9, the model’s first three-row electrical SUV.
- It targets as much as 335 miles of EPA vary and can come from the manufacturing unit with Tesla’s NACS plug design.
- It goes on sale early subsequent 12 months, however its worth continues to be TBD.
Should you’ve been trying to find an electrical three-row SUV however by no means cherished any of the alternatives accessible, you’re not alone. The Rivian R1S and Tesla Mannequin X have their compromises, and whereas we love the Kia EV9, some selection could be good too.
The scenario is enhancing, thanks once more to the Hyundai Motor Group. Following the house run it scored with the EV9, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 makes its debut as the latest and largest addition to its acclaimed Ioniq household of EVs.
Photograph by: Hyundai
The Ioniq 9 builds on what makes its smaller siblings nice: lengthy ranges, quick charging and head-turning design. It’s simply all in a much bigger package deal that, for higher or worse, American households more and more crave.
And it is greater than only a re-badged and re-bodied EV9 this time. It beats the EV9 on vary and even comes with the Tesla-style North American Charging Commonplace (NACS) plug proper out of the gate, so it’s going to be prepared to make use of the 1000’s of Supercharger stations on the market on the following household street journey.
The Fundamentals
First got here the Ioniq 5 as a compact crossover aimed on the Tesla Mannequin Y. Then Hyundai launched the Ioniq 6, a streamlined sedan with epic effectivity and vary. Hyundai’s third U.S.-market EV on its fashionable E-GMP platform is the Ioniq 9. It gives as much as seven seats and is an electrical different to the Hyundai Palisade.
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Hyundai
It’s a part of Hyundai’s plan to have a lineup of 23 electrical fashions by 2030. It goes into manufacturing this coming spring at Hyundai’s Georgia plant, so the automaker expects it to qualify for the complete $7,500 federal tax credit score, which requires autos to be assembled in North America. (That’s, if that coverage nonetheless exists when the automobile goes on sale.)
Hyundai hasn’t introduced pricing but, solely saying it will likely be “aggressive.” Provided that the EV9 begins at round $55,000, someplace round there’s in all probability guess. It’ll price much more than a Palisade or Santa Fe, I can inform you that a lot.
Vary, Charging and Different Specs
Hyundai is concentrating on an Environmental Safety Company vary score of as much as 335 miles, which is effectively above common and positive to dampen some consumers’ vary anxiousness. Much more impressively, the model says that it doesn’t matter what Ioniq 9 trim you purchase, it’ll be rated for not less than 300 miles. The identical can’t be stated of its cousin, the EV9, which is sweet for anyplace from 230 to 304 miles, relying on the trim.
Photograph by: Hyundai
A lot of that has to do with the Ioniq 9’s 110.3 kilowatt-hour, nickel-cobalt-manganese battery, which is about 10% bigger than the biggest pack accessible within the EV9. Lengthy vary and super-fast charging is a profitable mixture, and that’s simply what the Ioniq 9 serves up. Hyundai says the 9 will be capable of recharge from 10%-80% in 24 minutes on a sufficiently highly effective plug, due to its 800-volt structure. And it comes from the manufacturing unit with Tesla’s NACS plug design. So house owners will be capable of plug in at some 17,000 Tesla Superchargers without having to make use of an adapter.
Each main automaker is switching over to NACS from the Mixed Charging System, the present normal, however Hyundai is forward of the curve. Different automakers are nonetheless placing out new or up to date fashions with the outdated charging port, necessitating the usage of a dongle at Superchargers.
There shall be three powertrain choices on provide. The Lengthy-Vary RWD is the vary champion, whereas the Efficiency AWD is the quickest. The AWD Lengthy Vary suits within the center.
Right here’s how they break down:
| Drivetrain | Entrance Motor | Rear Motor | Whole Energy | 0-60 MPH | Tow Capability | Est. Vary |
| Lengthy-Vary RWD | N/A | 160 kW | 215 HP | 8.4 sec | 3,500 lbs | 335 miles |
| Lengthy-Vary AWD | 70 kW | 160 kW | 303 HP | 6.2 sec | 5,000 lbs | 300+ miles |
| Efficiency AWD | 160 kW | 160 kW | 422 HP | 4.9 sec | 5,000 lbs | 300+ miles |
Inside and Design
At first look, the Ioniq 9 provides off minivan vibes. I imply this in a great way; the 9 lacks the usual upright boxiness of different massive SUVs and that provides it a placing presence. Its brief hood, steep windshield and curving roofline give it a modern, distinctive look. Identical to on different Ioniq fashions, the outside is dotted with lots of of little squares, or “pixels,” that tie collectively the in any other case disparate-looking EVs.
And a stretched-out wheelbase—the longest of any Hyundai mannequin—creates loads of room to stretch out inside. After all, as a three-row SUV, the Ioniq 9’s major promoting level is how a lot stuff and other people you may match inside.
Photograph by: Hyundai
The Ioniq 9’s cabin does certainly really feel large, as I discovered once I obtained a preview of the mannequin earlier this month. It has a flat flooring all through, which frees up room in your ft, significantly within the center seat. The second row is downright cavernous and may be optioned with both a three-seat bench or reclining captain’s chairs. The third row is completely usable, even for adults. Once I crawled again there, I didn’t really feel cramped within the legroom or headroom departments.
One enjoyable contact up entrance is the addition of a sliding middle console. So whenever you need additional room between the entrance seats for a handbag or one thing, you may slide the unit backward. Once you want extra room within the rear, you may shift it ahead. The same function can also be accessible within the Ioniq 5.
Up entrance, the 9 gives high-output, 100-watt USB-C ports that get their energy straight from the high-voltage battery. That’s along with vehicle-to-load, or V2L, a function that lets house owners use the Ioniq 9 as a cell battery pack to energy virtually something.
Tech
The Ioniq 9 has the identical dual-screen setup that’s shared with different Kia and Hyundai EVs. On this one, although, it’s curved relatively than flat, which is a pleasant contact. Each the driver-facing cluster and the primary display screen are available in at 12 inches. And the system can deal with over-the-air software program updates, similar to earlier fashions.
Photograph by: Hyundai
What’s new right here is one thing known as “Options on Demand,” an in-vehicle retailer the place house owners should purchase “digital upgrades” for his or her vehicles. It’s debuting with a number of choices: some lighting signatures for opening or closing the doorways, new themes for the shows, and streaming providers like Amazon Music and Soundcloud.
Don’t fear—Hyundai says paying to activate one’s heated seats is off the desk.
Ought to You Purchase This Or The EV9?
Photograph by: Peter Holderith / Motor1
We gained’t know for positive till we will get the Ioniq 9 out on the street and spend some high quality time with it. But it surely’s largely a query of design desire. These two SUVs share a platform, they’re each massive and spacious, and their consumer interfaces will really feel related too. The Ioniq 9 has the agency edge on vary, although, which will be the deciding issue for some people. And we all know that the EV9 will quickly pack the NACS port as effectively, together with an adapter for the present vehicles.
On the finish of the day, it’s simply nice to see one other strong electrical choice for greater households.
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