November 30, 2024

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Hyundai Motor Group CEO Chang Jae-hoon (third from left) and former soccer player Park Ji-sung (second from left) appear during unveiling show of Ioniq 6 held at 2022 Busan International Motor Show on Thursday. Park was named the ambassador of the carmaker’s FIFA World Cup promotional campaign. (Yonhap)

BUSAN -- Hyundai Motor’s latest electric vehicle Ioniq 6 made its global debut at the Busan Motor Show Thursday, boasting not only its sleek design but also its single-charge travel capacity of 524 kilometers. The sedan, whose overall design was inspired by airplanes, features energy efficiency at 6 km per kilowatt-hour, which is the highest rate among EVs around the world, the carmaker said.

“The Ioniq 6 will create a sensation in the local EV market, currently dominated by EVs with a hatchback design,” said Hyundai Motor CEO Chang Jae-hoon.

“We will continue to offer a new electric mobility experience through the expansion of EV lineups with the Ioniq 6 and 7.”

Built on the carmaker’s EV-dedicated platform E-GMP, the Ioniq 6 inherits its predecessor Ioniq 5’s design DNA and offers personalized practicality, according to the company. The Ioniq 6 can be used as a driver’s personal mobile studio. Its cocoonlike, spacious interior uses 30 percent thinner seat material, as well as innovative and versatile in-vehicle technologies, the carmaker added.

Ioniq 6 (Hyundai Motor Group)

The Ioniq 6 comes in two types, a standard model with a 53.0 kWh battery and a long-range model with a 77.4 kWh battery. Hyundai will start taking preorders from July 28, with an official sales launch planned in September. The Ioniq 6 will also make its US debut in the first half of next year.

The Korean carmaker also unveiled its SUV EV concept car Seven, which will later be produced as the Ioniq 7. The Ioniq 7 will include fresh features such as 360-degree rotational seats and an interior floor inspired by “ondol,” a traditional Korean floor heating system that allows passengers to take a rest. One can even sleep in the vehicle as the seats can be extended fully flat, with a specially designed multifunctional blanket that serves as a seat belt.

Hyundai was one of six automotive brands participating in the auto show, which was held for the first time in four years due to the pandemic.

Kia, a sister company of Hyundai Motor, unveiled the EV9 and the New Seltos, the first products after the company rebranding as a sustainable mobility solution provider, and changed its name, logo, design philosophy and marketing strategy. 

EV9 (Kia)

Kia said the EV9 will be its flagship model when it hits the market next year. The EV9 has been stretched to accommodate a third row of seats. Its measurements are 4,930 millimeters in length and 2,055 mm in width, along with a 3,100-mm wheelbase.

“The EV9 will be based on the same platform and architecture (of EV6), but in a very different concept. We purposely went for something upright and boxy for the interior. With spacious design and three-row seating, it will be very practical as a family car and very easy to use, intuitive and natural -- that has been our priority,” Karim Habib, a senior vice president of design at Kia, who joined the carmaker in 2019, after leading design teams at BMW Group and Nissan.

The EV9 will be equipped with SK On batteries, and will launch in April next year. Kia’s first-ever autonomous driving technology AutoMode will be also included, and can receive over-the-air updates. On a single charge, it can travel up to 482 km and take 20 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent.

Under a goal to complete a full EV lineup of 14 models by 2027, Kia is planning to launch at least two types of EVs by 2027 and pull up local EV sales to 52 percent.

Overall, Kia is planning 14 new battery EVs for global markets by 2027, including at least one pickup truck. Kia is aiming to sell 1.2 million battery electric vehicles annually by 2030.

BMW Group, another participant of this year’s Busan Motor Show, has exhibited 21 models, five of which are new: the BMWi7, the New 2 Series Active Tourer, the Mini JCW Anniversary Edition, the Mini Electric Pacesetter and the M 1000 RR 50 Years M.

EV models BMW i7 and the New 2 Series Active Tourer have been fully renovated to offer a spacious interior, and newly decorated with crystal headlight Iconic Glow. The BMW i7’s curved display and interaction bar in the front seat and 31.3-inch BMW theater screen allow customers to enjoy a new connectivity experience.

The New 2 Series Active Tourer (BMW Group)

The New 2 Series Active Tourer, which has been fully revamped for the first time in eight years, has enhanced powertrain and connectivity technology, becoming a new flagship premium crossover model with dynamic driving performance. 

The 2022 Busan International Motor Show runs at Bexco until July 24.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)