Hyundai goes sleek and rounded with new Ioniq 6 electric 'streamliner'

TOKYO -- Hyundai is going sleek and rounded with its next electric vehicle, the Ioniq 6 sedan, tapping a "streamliner" look that diverges from the futuristic angles of the Ioniq 5 hatchback.

In releasing official photos of the Ioniq 6 exterior and interior, Hyundai says the "single-curved aerodynamic profile" delivers the brand's sleekest drag coefficient yet and houses a "cocoon-like cabin." Whereas the Ioniq 5 hatch is chiseled and digital, the Ioniq 6 is more flowing and organic.

"Ioniq 6 implements the Hyundai Look design strategy that gives each model a unique appearance, like chess pieces," Hyundai Motor Co. said in a June 29 news release.

The Ioniq 6 follows the Ioniq 5 as the latest entry in the South Korean automaker's Ioniq family of all-electric vehicles. It will be followed by an Ioniq 7 battery-powered three-row crossover.

The Ioniq 5 landed Stateside this year while it debuted in Europe last year. The Ioniq 6 will debut in Europe in the second half of this year, and the Ioniq 7 is projected to hit the market in 2024. Hyundai will unveil full specs of the Ioniq 6 in July.

The popularity of the Ioniq 5 is helping make Hyundai an EV leader both in the U.S. and in Europe. In the first four months of the year, Hyundai ranked No. 3 in U.S. electric vehicle sales, behind top-running Ford and second-place Kia, the Korean company's corporate cousin.

In Europe, the Ioniq 5 was the region's No. 8-selling EV through April.

Hyundai avoided calling the new car a sedan, opting instead for "electrified streamliner." But even if the Ioniq 6 gets a liftback, the entry sports a distinctly fastback four-door look.

Among details teased in this week's update, Hyundai says the Ioniq 6 achieves a super-slick drag coefficient of 0.21 through a host of technological and design tricks. Those include its low nose, active air flaps at the front, wheel gap reducers, and optional slim digital side mirrors.

A wing-inspired spoiler, pinched-off boat-tail styling in the rear, and a fully covered undercarriage further shed the air. The improved aerodynamics contribute to the Ioniq 6's rounded silhouette but will also be key to improving power efficiency and battery life.

Cocoon cabin

Like the Ioniq 5, the 6 carries over the EV subbrand's telltale pixelated lighting for a car-of-tomorrow vibe, mounting 700 pixels all around the car. But in a twist, Hyundai also applies the so-called parametric pixels to a newly designed H badge on the front and rear of the vehicle.  

Inside, Hyundai leverages Hyundai Motor Group's Electric Global Modular Platform to stretch the interior, front and rear of the car for more legroom, cabin space and a flat floor.

A 12-inch full-touch infotainment display and 12-inch digital cluster complement the "electronic gadget" feel. And Ioniq 6 drivers can set the cabin mood to their linking thanks to a wide spectrum of 64 colors and six dual color themes for the interior ambient lighting.

Hyundai rounds out the Ioniq 6's eco-cred with a flurry of "ethical" flourishes meant to impress conscientious customers. They include recycled pigment paint from end-of-life tires and a host of environmentally friendly materials made from things like recycled vegetable oils, fishing nets and polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, plastics.

Said Hyundai: "Ioniq 6 demonstrates ethical and unique design through energy efficiency and sustainable material usage."