Hyundai has been a leader in electric vehicle development for some time, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. However, the company is preparing another new electric vehicle that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 – or at least more desirable in the US, land of big cars.
The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously called Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai’s version of an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and adopt design elements from the Ioniq 5.
Curious about the Ioniq 9 and whether it could be your next car? Here’s everything we know so far about the Hyundai Ioniq 9.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 design
So far we’ve only seen a concept version of the Hyundai Ioniq 9, which was previously unveiled under the concept name ‘Seven’. At that time the car was supposed to be called Ioniq 7, but Hyundai apparently wants to benefit from the success of the Kia EV9 – and has therefore changed the name of the upcoming SUV.
Since we’ve only seen a concept version of the SUV, we still don’t know much about the Ioniq 9. However, if the car is anything like the concept, it will feature pixel lights that stretch across the front of the car, similar to the Ioniq 5. On The back will have more pixel lights extending across the rear.
The shape of the car is also slightly different. The Ioniq 9 has a sweeping roofline and curved side panels that abruptly culminate in a flat rear end. It’s a unique take on the SUV shape, but we’ll wait and see how much of the concept shape is included in the final version.
Details about the Ioniq 9’s interior are even rarer. The concept version included a “living room on wheels” look with swiveling and facing chairs and a minimalist overall look. It’s unlikely that much of this concept will end up in the final version of the car. Instead, we’re expecting something a little closer to the Ioniq 5, with a dual display at the front and more traditional seats. However, we know that the SUV will have three rows of seats.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 price
Hyundai hasn’t revealed any official details about the Hyundai Ioniq 9’s pricing, but we can speculate. The SUV is expected to be in a similar price range to the Kia EV9, which starts at $54,900 and goes up to the mid-$70,000. It is very likely that the Ioniq 9 will be offered at around the same price.
The most cost-effective model is expected to be a rear-wheel drive, single-motor version with the smaller of the batteries on offer. An upgrade to multi-motor models and larger batteries will probably cost a little more.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 release date
When will we see the Ioniq 9 in person? Well, it’s unclear. According to a report from Automotive News, the car will go into production in Korea in the first half of 2024 and in the US in mid-2025. That doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t be the case available in the USA by 2025 – Hyundai could import the car before then. A report from Korean Car Blog states that the final version of the Ioniq 9 will be unveiled in early 2024. So if that’s true, we’ll be seeing more about the car very soon.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 models
Hyundai has not yet announced any specific models of the Ioniq 9; However, we know it will be based on the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9, and we can speculate about the models we’ll see.
The Ioniq 9 will likely be available in similar models to the EV9, meaning there could be a single-motor rear-wheel drive variant, a rear-wheel drive model with a large battery, and a range of all-wheel drive models with different battery sizes.
Charging speed and range of the Hyundai Ioniq 9
One of the best things about Kia and Hyundai’s electric vehicles has long been the charging speed. The cars so far offer a charging speed of 350 kilowatts, meaning they can be fully charged at the right charging station in under 20 minutes. The Ioniq 9 is expected to continue this trend.
The range is a little less certain. When Hyundai unveiled the concept version of the car, it said it would offer a range of over 300 miles. Unfortunately, only certain models are much more likely to have a range of more than 300 miles, while lower-end models are more likely to have a shorter range. The EV9 has a peak range of 304 miles and we’re hoping the Ioniq 9 can surpass that.
Performance of the Hyundai Ioniq 9
Performance is another area we know little about with the Ioniq 9. However, again, we expect it to offer similar performance to the Kia EV9, which is a good sign.
The base model of the Kia EV9 is a single-engine, rear-wheel drive model and offers 0-60 mph acceleration in 7.7 seconds. At the top end, however, the EV9 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds with a dual-motor setup that delivers 379 hp and 516 lb.-ft. Torque.
We expect similar performance from the Ioniq 9. These models aren’t necessarily designed for speed fanatics, but rather are aimed more at families, and while a bit more power can certainly be useful in many situations, it doesn’t have to be record-breaking.
Technical characteristics of the Hyundai Ioniq 9
While Hyundai hasn’t necessarily confirmed what kind of tech features the Ioniq 9 will offer, we expect the tech to be very similar or identical to that of the Ioniq 5. That’s not a negative at all – the infotainment system on the Ioniq 5 isn’t all that bad. While it certainly doesn’t compare to software-forward companies like Rivian and Tesla, it’s mostly easy to navigate. And it supports CarPlay and Android Auto, which is what we’ve come to expect from the Ioniq 9.
Other tech features we expect include camera-based blind spot monitoring feature and self-parking features.
The car is also likely to offer a range of driver assistance features. Like most other new cars these days, the Ioniq 9 will likely feature lane centering and adaptive cruise control, which will almost make the car feel like it’s self-driving in highway situations. Hopefully, though, Hyundai will go a step further to achieve Level 3 self-driving technology, which would allow you to take your hands off the wheel on the highway and actually let the car take over.
Hyundai Ioniq 9 tax credit status
It is currently unclear whether the Ioniq 9 will be eligible for the federal tax credit. Some reports suggest that Hyundai plans to eventually build the car at its Georgia factory, although the first batch may be imported from South Korea and second-year Georgia-built models will take over. We’ll have to wait and see if the Ioniq 9 qualifies for the tax credit.
Our wish list for the Hyundai Ioniq 9
By 2024, every electric vehicle should have a range of at least 300 miles, and we hope even the base version of the Ioniq 9 has that range. However, that’s unlikely, especially considering the base model Kia EV9 has a range of 230 miles. In addition to a decent range, we would like the Ioniq 9 to offer at least something some the interior design features of the concept version of the car.
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