The Hyundai Ioniq is not being produced anymore, but its spirit lives on in the new Ioniq 6. In this post I compare the specifications of the Hyundai Ioniq Electric and the Hyundai Ioniq 6. Specifically, the 2020 Ioniq Electric and the 2023 Ioniq 6 Long Range 2WD. The data for each vehicle comes mostly from evdb. This post is basically just me discussing with myself how badly I want an Ioniq 6 over my current Ioniq Electric, but I figured I might as well share my findings.
Physical dimensions
First off, the 6 is bigger and heavier, which is a disadvantage. It will be harder to maneuver and park in small spaces, and heavier cars take more resources to build, and are potentially more dangerous to others.
| Ioniq | Ioniq 6 | Change | Unit | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 447 | 486 | +39 | cm | +9% |
| Width (excl. mirrors) | 182 | 188 | +6 | cm | +3% |
| Height | 145 | 150 | +5 | cm | +3% |
| Weight (unladen, EU) | 1602 | 1985 | +383 | kg | +24% |
On the other hand, and as the following sections show, the extra size and weight enable several advantages, and at least the Ioniq 6 has world-class efficiency despite its weight. Plus it has a pedestrian-friendly shape and modern collision avoidance safety features. So with that out of the way, let’s continue.
Cargo capacity
The 6 has more cargo space, a (small) frunk, and a tow hook. The only disadvantage is that the 6 is a sedan, which means its trunk opening is smaller than on the liftback Ioniq Electric.
| Ioniq | Ioniq 6 | Change | Unit | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume trunk | 357 | 401 | +44 | L | +9% |
| Cargo volume frunk | 0 | 45 | +45 | L | +∞% |
| Max. payload | 443 | 500 | +57 | kg | +24% |
| Towing weight (braked) | 0 | 1500 | +1500 | kg | +∞% |
| Is hatchback/liftback | 1 | 0 | -1 | -100% |
The 6 also has more legroom for passengers.
Driving
The bigger 6 unfortunately has a similarly bigger turning radius. But the 6’s higher mass is compensated by more torque, and it accelerates faster from 0 to 100 km/h. The Ioniq Electric, like most EVs, is already pretty snappy in city driving, and the faster 0–100 time of the 6 is not really necessary for normal driving. The biggest advantage of the 6 might be comparably more torque at higher speeds for more responsive overtaking on the motorway. The website automobile-catalog.com has approximate torque curves for each model.
| Ioniq | Ioniq 6 | Change | Unit | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turning radius | 10.6 | 11.8 | +1.2 | m | +11% |
| Total power | 100 | 168 | +68 | kW | +68% |
| Total torque | 295 | 350 | +55 | Nm | +19% |
| Acceleration 0–100 km/h | 9.7 | 7.4 | -2.3 | s | -24% |
The Electric is front-wheel drive, while the 6 is rear-wheel drive for better traction, handling, and interior layout, as is the future of 2WD EVs. (The 6 also comes in an all-wheel drive version not otherwise described in this blog post. Unfortunately the Hyundai developers did not use the opportunity for the RWD to have a smaller turning radius than the AWD version, unlike for example the VW ID.4 where the RWD version has an amazing 10.2 m turning radius instead of 11.6 m for the ID.4 AWD.)
Range
The 6’s improved aerodynamics, among other things, make up for the increased weight, to bring a slight improvement in efficiency. Combined with a bigger battery, the 6 drives around twice as far on a full charge. Especially nice is that the range is slightly more than doubled on the highway which is really where range matters the most. A huge improvement.
| Ioniq | Ioniq 6 | Change | Unit | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall consumption | 15.3 | 14.9 | -0.4 | kWh/100km | -3% |
| Overall efficiency | 6.54 | 6.71 | +0.18 | km/kWh | +3% |
| Overall range | 250 | 495 | +245 | km | +98% |
| Cold weather - highway | 175 | 355 | +180 | km | +103% |
| Cold weather - city | 235 | 460 | +225 | km | +96% |
| Mild weather - highway | 230 | 470 | +240 | km | +104% |
| Mild weather - city | 365 | 715 | +350 | km | +96% |
These range numbers are evdb Real Range numbers, which are much more realistic
than WLTP numbers, in my experience. The consumption/
Charging
As important as the capacity for range is the capacity for adding range, so to speak. Here, the 6 is not just twice as good as the Electric. On three-phase 16 A, the 6 adds range three times faster. This big difference is because the 6 charges especially quickly on 16 amps, while the Electric is especially slow due to its single-phase on-board charger.
On a powerful DC charger, the 6 is almost six times faster, when the conditions are right. This is again by going from the Electric’s slow DC charging to the 6’s world-leading DC charging. The Electric has the dubious advantage of taking almost no hit in charge speed when only 50 kW DC chargers are available. The 6 also supports reverse charging (V2L), where the car can power your household electronics or even charge another EV.
| Ioniq | Ioniq 6 | Change | Unit | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC charge speed @ 16 A | 20 | 63 | +43 | km/h | +215% |
| AC charge speed @ 32 A | 40 | 63 | +23 | km/h | +58% |
| DC charge speed @ 50 kW | 210 | 320 | +110 | km/h | +52% |
| DC charge speed @ 350 kW | 220 | 1290 | +1070 | km/h | +486% |
| AC reverse charging (V2L) | 0 | 3.6 | +3.6 | kW | +∞% |
Supercharger compatibility
Tesla opening up their Supercharger network to non-Tesla cars is a big deal. Tesla Superchargers have become my preferred fast-charging stations in Denmark, as they are cheaper and better than the competition — at least for compatible cars. The Electric has its charge port on the rear left side like Teslas, whereas the 6 has it on the rear right side. Thus, the Electric works perfectly with the Superchargers’ typically short cables.
More importantly, there are reports of the E-GMP cars (Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Kia EV6) not working properly with Tesla V3 Superchargers. One article from Motortrend from march 2023 describes the problem, as tested in the US, while the Federation of Danish Motorists here in Europe briefly mentions the problem in an article (in Danish) from three weeks ago. If and when this will be fixed I don’t know, but I really hope it will get fixed as more V3 Superchargers are built. Or perhaps the fix is just to wait for V4 Superchargers with their higher voltage and longer cables.
Discussion
Overall, the Ioniq 6 as a dedicated EV is a massive improvement over the Ioniq Electric which was built on a platform that also supported gasoline hybrid versions (with and without plug-in). The 6 also costs more than the Electric did by something like 50%. But then again, some essential specs have improved by more than 50%.
I would like a cheaper and slightly smaller EV with Hyundai’s newest technology. Something like the Ioniq 6 Standard Range (365 km evdb Real Range), but in the size of the Ioniq Electric. Or even in the liftback body of the Ioniq Electric. Basically, I just want the Ioniq Electric with more range and faster charging. Barring that, the Ioniq 6 seems to be pretty amazing.