Ioniq

Ioniq (stylized in all caps) is an automotive sub-brand and a division of Hyundai Motor Company with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The sub-brand was established in 2020 as a sub-brand for Hyundai's electric vehicle line-up.[1] The sub-brand is slated to aid Hyundai to achieve a targeted 1 million electric vehicle sales annually by 2025, with the Ioniq brand projected to contribute 560,000 of those sales.[2]

History

Before it was introduced as a sub-brand, the Ioniq name had been used for the 2012 Hyundai i-oniq concept, a small sporty hatchback that was equipped with a battery-electric drivetrain and a range-extending gasoline engine.[3][4] Between 2016 and 2022, the name was used for the Hyundai Ioniq, a compact liftback available with a choice of eco-friendly powertrains: gasoline hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full battery-electric;[5] the 2016 Ioniq was intended to compete with the Toyota Prius hybrid and Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicles.[6][7]

On 10 August 2020, the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Motor Group announced the launching of a new automotive brand called Ioniq (a portmanteau of "ion" and "unique", styled in all-capital letters as "IONIQ") in London, reserved for electric cars.[8][9] At the launch, the manufacturer revealed its plans to produce electric vehicles named 5, 6 and 7 and based on the Hyundai-Kia E-GMP common electric car platform presented at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.[10]

The first vehicle launched was the Ioniq 5, a crossover utility vehicle that was first sold in 2021. Hyundai is currently expanding its full-electric lineup to include the Ioniq 6, a sedan which debuted in Europe and South Korea in the second half of 2022, and the Ioniq 9 (renamed from its concept - the Ioniq 7[11]), a large sport-utility vehicle which was projected to hit the market in 2024 but was delayed until the first cars were delivered in May of 2025.[12][13]

IONIQ in China

On 10 April 2026, the Ioniq brand was introduced in China two concepts Venus concept sedan and Earth concept crossover SUV.[14]

Models

The following electric vehicles are produced by the Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai:

The Ioniq 3 subcompact hatchback was launched at the 2025 Munich Motor Show in Munich, Germany. It will be the production version of the THREE concept.[21][22][23]

The Ioniq 5 compact crossover was released in February 2021 and was previewed by the Hyundai Concept 45 EV presented at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.[5][24]

The Ioniq 6 mid-size sedan was released in July 2022 and is foreshadowed by the Hyundai Prophecy concept car, which was scheduled to be presented at the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show but this was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25]

The Ioniq 9 mid-size crossover was released in November 2024. Previously known as the Ioniq 7 during development, it is the production model of the Seven concept car, which made its debut at the LA Motor Show in November 2021.[26]

• IONIQ 3, 2026–present
• IONIQ 5, 2021–present
• IONIQ 6, 2022–present
• IONIQ 9, 2024–present

ICCU failures

The integrated charging control unit (ICCU) is a component of Hyundai's Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) used by Ioniq vehicles, as well as some Genesis and Kia models. It is responsible for charging the vehicle's 12V battery and powering low-voltage systems, and has been noted for its high failure rate.[37][38][39][40][41]

On March 15th, 2024, the NHTSA issued a safety recall for certain Hyundai and Genesis vehicles equipped with the ICCU. Because of the component's role in charging the 12V battery, failure of ICCU causes the 12V battery to gradually discharge over time, eventually resulting in complete loss of the vehicle's low voltage systems and motive power. The vehicle will, upon failure, notify the driver through aural and visual warnings on the dashboard and, if in motion, will gradually slow the vehicle until the driver has stopped.[42] The NHTSA issued an additional recall for ICCU failures in November after initial remedies failed to solve the issue.[37][43]

As of March 2026, Hyundai says that the failure rate is around 1%, but the actual rate may be has high as 10% according to Consumer Reports.[44]

See also

• BMW i
• Honda Ye
• Hyundai EGMP
• Kia EV series
• Toyota bZ
• Mercedes-EQ
• Volkswagen ID. series

External links