Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 electric streamliner makes its US debut, revealing 340-mile range

Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 electric sedan made its official stateside debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week, revealing some new details on the US version. The Magic Mouse-shaped “streamliner” car that was first unveiled this summer will have a max estimated driving range of 340 miles (not EPA-rated yet) on the rear-wheel-drive model.

The range is a bit less than the initial 379-mile target announced and even further from the European WLTP estimates of 382 miles. Still, 340 miles is an excellent achievement, succeeding the Ioniq 5’s 300-mile range while running on a similar 77.4kWh battery along with a shared E-GMP (Electric Global Modular Platform) architecture that underpins it.

With E-GMP, the Ioniq 6 is one of few vehicles in the US with a fast 800-volt charging system, joining up with even fancier vehicles like the Porsche Taycan. Hyundai calculates that the battery can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes when connected to 350kW-capable charging stations. In colder weather, achieving the maximum charging speed requires the battery to be warm, so the Ioniq 6 can preheat the battery when navigation is pointed to a charging station.

Hyundai has a deal with Electrify America, one of the larger charging networks in the US, to provide unlimited 30-minute charging sessions for two years. It’s the same offer that’s handed out to new Ioniq 5 and Kona EV owners and is quite competitive compared to deals from other manufacturers, like $400 in credits for EVgo that Subaru Solterra customers get. Of course, free fast charging is only really useful if you road trip regularly. For most drivers, Level 2 (AC) charging at home is key, and the Ioniq 6 sports a 10.9kW onboard charger that’s good for a full charge in about 7 hours and 10 minutes, according to Hyundai.

Ioniq 6 can go the distance with other long-range EVs in the US, including the Tesla Model 3 AWD that offers about 358 miles of range, Ford’s Mustang Mach-E with 305 miles (California Route 1 RWD), BMW iX xDrive50 with 324 miles, and even Mercedes EQS with about 350 miles of range.

Part of the reason Ioniq 6 is great on range is due to efficiency. On the rear-wheel-drive model, Ioniq 6 only sheds about 14.3kWh of power per 62 miles driven, or about 231Wh per mile. That beats the 2022 Tesla Model 3 RWD, which has an EPA-estimated efficiency of 260Wh per mile (combined highway and city).

Another factor that helps the Ioniq 6 go the distance is its excellent aerodynamics, calculated at a 0.22 drag coefficient. You may remember that the original calculation was a slightly lower 0.21, but that’s because it was calculated on an Ioniq 6 with the Digital Side Mirrors that still aren’t yet approved in the US. Cars equipped with this feature have slim camera housings in place of traditional side mirrors, sending a feed of what you would normally see out the window onto LCD displays on the extremities of your dashboard.

What you will be able to get in the US is an Ioniq 6 with a large 77.4kWh battery in either AWD or RWD flavors. The AWD is dual-motor with a 74kW front and 165kW rear motor setup that gives you 320 horsepower and a 0–60 mph acceleration in less than five seconds. The RWD option offers 225 horsepower on a single 168kW motor but gives you the longest advertised range. The AWD has a slightly lower 310-mile estimated range.

The Ioniq 6 will go on sale in the US in the spring of 2023. No pricing details have been revealed yet; the automaker says it will be announced closer to the on-sale date. So if you’re interested in living the nomadic, work-from-home-that-is-your-car lifestyle Hyundai is selling, you won’t have to wait long.