Hyundai competes with Škoda. Launches electric Ioniq 5, heading for Enyaq
At the end of February, Hyundai unveiled the first representative of the new Ioniq electric series. The number 5 crossover impressed with its retro design, three-meter wheelbase, and the possibility of powering other electrical appliances. Now it is coming to the Czech market, at prices starting at 1.1 million crowns. It does not have many direct competitors yet, so we compared the Korean model with the Škoda Enyaq iV and the Volkswagen ID.4.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
To begin with, a brief recapitulation of what the Ioniq 5 is like. This is the first Hyundai built on the E-GMP modular electrical platform. It will be available with two battery sizes and in a rear or all-wheel-drive configuration. In this respect, the Korean model does not deviate in any way from the line set by Enyaqem iV or VW ID.4. These two models are also available with one or two electric motors, but at the same time, it is necessary to wait a while for the arrival of all-wheel-drive versions. Ioniq 5 has it in the price list, however, with the remark that it will be available later.
A characteristic option for the new platform is the use of an electrical network with a voltage of up to 800 V, so the car can be charged with a direct current with an output of up to 350 kW. Such Enyaq and ID.4 can maximum 125 kW. The purely the Ioniq 5 thus theoretically gets from 10 to 80 percent of the battery capacity in about 18 minutes. And the Korean model has another advantage - due to the V2L function, it can also charge other electrical appliances, with a power input of up to 3.6 kW.
The design clearly leans towards retro style and refers to the very first generation of the Pony model, which practically started the history of Hyundai. Whether shaping the rear pillars or the front, the influence of the classic model is evident. At the same time, however, the car does not give up modern elements, so the standard lights are LED lights at the front and rear, inside there is a screen on the center panel and instead of classic analog alarm clocks.
So far, this is basically the only direct competition if we search among mainstream carmakers. The novelty is significantly larger than, for example, the Kia e-Niro or Hyundai Kona Electric, at the same time the arrival of, for example, the Nissan Ariya in Europe is still awaited.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 is definitely not a print. Although it measures 4635 mm in length, the designers managed to stretch the wheelbase to three meters, which is a value exceeding the segment of the middle and upper-middle class. So, although the Enyaq iV needs to be longer, the Korean competitor will embarrass it with a wheelbase. After all, look at the table for comparison with the Volkswagen ID.4.
The Korean representative thus clearly dominates the wheelbase and, unlike a pair of competitors, also has a small suitcase in front. However, other dimensions are similar to those of the Škoda and VW.
If we look at the technology, Ioniq 5 is available in three versions. Basic Eco has a usable battery capacity of 58 kWh and a single electric motor with an output of 125 kW, together that is enough for a range of 400 km. The Power variant with a usable 72.6 kWh has an output of 160 kW and a range of 485 km as a rear wheel. The most powerful ATV also has a 72.6 kWh battery, but an output of 225 kW and a range of 462 km.
In the basic variant, the Enyaq iV has a battery with a capacity of 62 kWh (usable is 58 kWh) and an electric motor with an output of 132 kW, so it will travel 400 km on a single charge. An alternative is a battery with a capacity of 82 kWh (usable is 77 kWh) and an electric motor with an output of 150 kW, in which case the range of 520 km is stated.
In the basic configuration, the VW ID.4 has a usable capacity of 52 kWh and an electric motor on the rear axle tuned to 109 or 125 kW. The Germans report a range of up to 346 km. The more powerful version with an output of 150 kW has a usable capacity of 77 kWh and a range of up to 522 km.
It is also worth mentioning charging - if the Ioniq 5 is already ready for fast charging with up to 350 kW as standard (the car can switch between an electrical system with voltage 400V and 800V), Enyaq and ID.4 can no more than 100 kW with smaller and 125 kW with larger batteries. VW has the option of using this speed as standard, for Škoda it is based on 50 kW and for faster charging it is necessary to pay extra, except for the limited introductory version Founders Edition.
The Korean crossover is offered on the Czech market in two trim levels. The basic name is Smart and with 58kWh batteries costs 1,099,990 crowns.
What is the basis of such a car? Among the safety features in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests, there is a much-discussed central front airbag, lane guidance, emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection and collision warning when turning left, blind-spot monitoring, vehicle warning when reversing, adaptive cruise control, or highway assistant.
Comfortable and multimedia features include automatic air conditioning, 12.3-inch screen navigation, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather multifunction steering wheel, 12.25-inch alarm clock screen, heated front seats and steering wheel, rear parking sensors and reversing camera, automatic lights, and wipers or keyless unlocking and starting.
Visually, the Ioniq 5 has 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lights at the front, and combined LED lights at the rear. As for charging, the standard is a 10.5 kW three-phase on-board charger and the possibility of charging with AC (including cable) as well as fast charging with direct current.
If you then choose a larger battery as standard, the Range package with heat pump and battery preheating is also standard. The version with a smaller battery will cost 40 thousand crowns.
Price list - Hyundai Ioniq 5 Smart
Eco (58 kWh / 125 kW) CZK 1,099,990
Power (72.6 kWh / 160 kW) CZK 1,249,990
The second available equipment is called Style and with a 58kWh battery, it starts at 1,269,990 crowns. A larger battery then costs exactly one hundred thousand crowns more. Only in this equipment is there an ATV with an output of 225 kW, which exceeds 100 km / h in 5.2 seconds and costs 1,469,990 crowns.
In addition to the Smart model, the standard equipment includes emergency braking with frontal collision warning when changing lanes, electrically adjustable driver's and front passenger's seat, heated rear seats, front parking sensors, wireless smartphone charger, a sliding center box with storage space or electric trunk lid. Only in higher equipment can the car also power other electrical appliances with a socket inside and outside the car. You can then visually recognize it by the mirrors in the color of the body or the LED strips under the headlights.
This equipment also has a Premium package for 80 thousand crowns. These include remote-controlled parking assist, blind-spot camera monitoring, panoramic camera system, reverse collision assist, 44-inch windscreen, Bose audio, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, electrically sliding rear seats, or 20-inch alloy wheels. They only come with a stronger battery, but at the same time reduce the range.
By the way, for all those who buy the Ioniq 5 this year, Hyundai promises to charge on Ionity quick-charge racks at a discounted rate of CZK 7.7 / kWh for one year (the standard rate is CZK 21 / kWh). It is at these stations that it is possible to use the power up to 350 kW, their availability may be a limitation. There are currently three places in the Czech Republic with Ionita stands, the fourth near Lovosice is currently under construction. But across Europe, the network is much wider.
Comparison - Škoda Enyaq iV: from CZK 1,072,900
From the Czech point of view, the biggest competitor of Ioniq 5 is the Škoda Enyaq iV. As we mentioned in the introduction, in terms of performance, battery capacity, and range, both models are basically balanced. He will also get a quad bike from the Czech SUV in the near future. The main advantage of the Korean model is the standard possibility of using up to 350 kW fast charging, Enyaq with a weaker battery can do a maximum of 100 and a larger maximum of 125 kW (and this is still necessary to pay extra for this option, the standard is 50 kW power support). What the competition Ioniq 5 also can't do is the already mentioned possibility to charge other electrical appliances.
Even in terms of price, the Czech and Korean representatives are not too far apart. In the basic version, the Enyaq iV is a bit cheaper, with the already mentioned similar technical parameters. In the table, you can see how both basic models with equipment are doing.
As can be seen, both models have very similar equipment for a similar price, Hyundai dominates mainly by offering standard electronic assistants, while Škoda has slightly better comfort equipment. It also offers more surcharges, with Ioniq you have practically nothing to pay extra, except for small things like body paint.
This, by the way, also applies to the higher Style equipment, where there is one extra equipment package among the surcharges. Compared to the Enyaq Loft, the higher grade of the Hyundai is more expensive, which also applies to the Enyaq in the sporty Sportline equipment, which relies mainly on visual accessories for the exterior and interior.
If we take the Ioniq 5 with a larger battery for at least 1,269,990 crowns in the Smart equipment, we will find that the Enyaq 80 iV Loft is again a bit cheaper at a price of 1,202,900 crowns. As for the composition of both levels of equipment, it is the same as in the table above, only it is necessary to include the standard heat pump of the Korean model, for which the Mladá Boleslav electric car charges 30,500 crowns.
Comparison - Volkswagen ID.4: from 991 900 CZK
The second competitor that is currently available on the Czech market is the Volkswagen ID.4. A car similar in size to the Enyaq iV on the Ioniq 5 loses significantly only in the wheelbase (and also has no front luggage compartment). While the basic variant with a usable battery capacity of 52 kWh has worse parameters than the input Hyundai, the ID.4 with a capacity of 77 kWh is already at the level of Ioniq Power (slightly surpasses it by the range).
In principle, however, this means that the price of a stronger version of the German model rose from a basic less than one million to at least 1,181,900 crowns. However, it is still less than the cost of the Ioniq 5 with a larger battery and also than the cost of the Enyaq iV with identical technology. It is also true that the smaller battery in the ID.4 means charging up to 100 kW and the larger battery up to 125 kW, in both cases the car can do it as standard.
Unlike both competitors, Volkswagen also has more equipment levels to choose from, with a total of five for the 77kWh battery. To compare the equipment with the Ioniq 5 Power Style for 1,369,990 crowns, we finally chose the Volkswagen ID.4 Family for 1,314,900 crowns.
In the compared versions, Ioniq 5 has a bit more assistance systems, which ID.4 delivers only in the next stage of Tech (there are already some elements that Hyundai has only for an additional fee). As standard, the German model also has Car2X communication with other cars or infrastructure. Nevertheless, it can be said that both cars otherwise offer very similar equipment for a similar price. The situation is therefore almost the same as for Škoda.
And this is repeated with a weaker engine and smaller batteries with lower equipment, also there are both models directly comparable in terms of price and equipment.
What's next?
So far, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Škoda Enyaq iV, and Volkswagen ID.4 do not have many competitors, at least not among the mainstream models (in the premium segment, for example, the recently unveiled Audi Q4 e-Tron or Mercedes-Benz EQB compete with them). But this will change significantly this year.
Among other things, the Nissan Ariya (pictured left) will be launched on the electric platform of the Renault Nissan Mitsubishi alliance. The car is less than 4.6 meters long and 2775 mm between the axles. Like the rivals, the Japanese model will have one or two electric motors and two battery capacities - the smaller one will offer a usable 63 kWh, the larger one a usable 87 kWh. Depending on the version, the power is between 160 and 290 kW, the range oscillates between 340 and 500 km.
For a change, Ford is about to enter the market with the Mach-E Mustang, which benefits from the name and appearance of the legendary coupe and convertible. However, the SUV stands on an electric platform and at a length of 4.7 meters offers a wheelbase stretched to 2984 mm. There will again be a rear-wheeler or an ATV, the power will be between 198 and 358 kW. Above all, the strongest variant will separate the Mustang from the competition. The battery has a usable capacity of 68 or 88 kWh, so the range should be between 400 and 610 km.
Toyota is also preparing an electric mid-size SUV in cooperation with Subaru. This week, it presented the bZ4X concept (pictured right) on the modular e-TNGA platform for electric models at the Shanghai Motor Show. The concept has two electric motors, and therefore all-wheel drive, but the carmaker did not reveal more detailed information about the technology used. In any case, the serial version should arrive next year, and a similarly designed car from Subaru can be expected.