Tag Archives: Hyundai

Tuning

Hyundai Ioniq 9 BigTime Concept Turns an Electric Luxury SUV into a Trail Blazer

Off-road builds are stealing the spotlight at this year’s SEMA show, and Hyundai isn’t about to be left out of the mud-slinging fun. While Toyota went wild with a V-6–swapped vintage Land Cruiser and Nissan brought a 1000-hp Patrol to the desert party, Hyundai’s contribution takes a more unexpected route: an all-terrain version of its luxury electric SUV, the Ioniq 9.

To make it happen, the Korean automaker teamed up with YouTube channel BigTime, run by Jeremiah Burton and Zach Jobe, best known for their creative car builds and offbeat engineering projects. Together, they took the road-going Ioniq 9 and reimagined it as something you might actually dare to drive past the pavement’s end.

That’s a bold move, considering the stock Ioniq 9 is about as off-road-ready as a glass coffee table. The SUV rides just 6.9 inches off the ground, prioritizing long-range cruising and upscale comfort over any boulder-bashing ambitions. But the BigTime duo saw potential—and decided to give Hyundai’s biggest EV a dirt-friendly attitude adjustment.

They started with the top-dog Calligraphy trim, which packs a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup good for 422 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. From there, the suspension was lifted—Hyundai won’t say by how much, but the added altitude looks substantial enough to clear some honest trail ruts. The new BFGoodrich all-terrain tires wrapped around retro-cool white OZ Racing wheels complete the transformation, giving the Ioniq 9 a stance straight out of a rally stage.

The modifications are simple but purposeful. A roof-mounted light bar promises illumination when the asphalt fades and the wilderness begins. And then there’s the look—oh, the look. The ’70s-inspired brown-and-tan wrap channels vintage adventure rigs, complete with an oversized Hyundai logo on the hood and a bubbly BigTime script across the doors and fenders. According to Burton and Jobe, the color scheme was pulled from a 1977 Kenworth cabover semi they rescued for their channel last year—a neat nod to old-school trucking nostalgia in a futuristic EV.

Of course, this Ioniq 9 BigTime concept is strictly for show. Don’t expect Hyundai to roll out an off-road package for its flagship EV anytime soon. But as a SEMA showcase of creativity, it works beautifully: proof that even a plush, tech-heavy electric SUV can get a little scruffy—and look all the better for it.

So while Toyota and Nissan went big on displacement and brute force, Hyundai’s contribution to the off-road conversation is a little more tongue-in-cheek: a lifted luxury EV that’s ready to trade valet parking for dirt trails—at least for a weekend.

Source: Car and Driver

NEW CARS

2026 Hyundai Elexio Aims to Electrify Australia’s Mid-Size SUV Market

Hyundai’s latest EV isn’t an Ioniq—but it might just be its next big hit.

When Hyundai unveiled the Elexio, an electric SUV born from its joint venture with Chinese automaker BAIC, most observers assumed it would stay confined to China’s borders. After all, cars from such collaborations often serve as regional experiments, not global exports.

Turns out, Hyundai had other plans. The company has now confirmed that the Elexio is heading for Australia, with a launch penciled in for next year. Once it lands, the Elexio will slot neatly between the Kona Electric and the Ioniq 5, giving Hyundai a three-pronged EV lineup that covers nearly every corner of the electric SUV map.

Between Two Worlds

The Elexio isn’t a rebadged Ioniq or a regional variant—it’s something different. Sitting on the E-GMP platform, it shares its bones with the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Kia EV6, but wears its own sheetmetal and interior styling. Think of it as Hyundai’s bridge between its Korean roots and China’s rapidly evolving EV design language.

And yes, it looks like it. The Elexio’s styling is distinct—angular, assertive, and unapologetically Chinese in influence. Whether Australian buyers embrace it is anyone’s guess, but in a market that’s warming up to Chinese-built electric SUVs, its odds look better than you’d think.

Powertrain and Range

Hyundai plans to offer three variants for Australia:

  • Single-motor standard range
  • Single-motor long range
  • Dual-motor all-wheel drive long range

The two rear-wheel-drive versions will each use a 160 kW (215 hp) motor, while the all-wheel-drive model gets bumped to 230 kW (308 hp). If that sounds familiar, it’s because those numbers line up neatly with the Kia EV5, another E-GMP-based sibling.

All models will use an 88.1-kWh battery pack, good for a claimed 722 km (449 miles) in China’s testing cycle. Expect something closer to 500 km (311 miles) under the stricter WLTP standard—still competitive for the segment. Fast charging isn’t quite Ioniq 5-fast; a 30-to-80 percent top-up takes about 27 minutes, compared to the Ioniq 5’s impressive 18-minute sprint from 10 to 80 percent.

Cabin Tech and Design

Step inside, and you’ll find an interior that’s more Shanghai chic than Seoul minimalist. A 27-inch widescreen panel stretches across the dashboard, blending the driver display, infotainment, and even a dedicated passenger screen into one seamless expanse.

Below that, Hyundai has kept things refreshingly uncluttered. Wireless charging pads, an eight-speaker Bose sound system, and plenty of soft-touch materials create a cabin that feels more premium than its price tag might suggest. A small secondary display sits close to the windshield, serving as a minimalist gauge cluster.

Pricing and Positioning

In China, the Elexio starts at 119,800 yuan (around US$16,900) and tops out around 149,800 yuan (about US$21,100). Don’t get too excited—those prices will balloon once the Elexio crosses the Pacific.

Australian pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but industry chatter points to something in the AU$55,000 to AU$65,000 range (US$36,000–$42,600). That would place the Elexio right in the thick of the mid-size electric SUV fight, squaring off against the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Kia EV5, and MG Marvel R.

Our Take

Hyundai is betting that the Elexio can serve as a gateway EV—something stylish enough to stand out, yet affordable enough to bring new buyers into the fold. The design might divide opinions, and its slower charging times won’t thrill road-trippers, but if Hyundai nails the local pricing, the Elexio could easily become a common sight on Australian roads.

Because in a segment where value and range matter more than badge prestige, Hyundai just might have found the sweet spot between Korean engineering and Chinese efficiency.

Source: Hyundai

News

Hyundai Breaks Ground on Massive Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant, Betting Big on a Zero-Emission Future

Hyundai Motor Company just turned a page in its history—and maybe the world’s energy story—by breaking ground on a new hydrogen fuel cell production plant in Ulsan, South Korea. The site, once home to an internal-combustion engine transmission facility, will soon house a 43,000-square-meter factory dedicated to building the beating hearts of hydrogen-powered mobility. Symbolic? Absolutely. Strategic? Without question.

The event, attended by Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chair Jaehoon Chang alongside government officials and industry leaders, marks more than a construction milestone—it’s a declaration that Hyundai intends to lead the global shift toward hydrogen. “This plant embodies Hyundai Motor Group’s strategic commitment to advancing the hydrogen society transition,” said Chang. “It will serve as a critical foundation for securing national economic growth and establishing Korea’s leadership in the global hydrogen industry.”

The New Hydrogen Hub

Set for completion in 2027, the new facility represents a KRW 930 billion (roughly $670 million) investment and will operate under Hyundai’s hydrogen-focused HTWO brand—short for Hydrogen for Humanity. When fully ramped up, the plant will be capable of producing 30,000 fuel cell units annually, serving applications that range from passenger cars and commercial trucks to construction machinery, ships, and buses.

In other words, Hyundai isn’t just thinking about the next-generation Nexo SUV—it’s thinking about an entire ecosystem powered by the smallest element in the universe.

Two Key Technologies, One Bold Vision

The Ulsan plant will build two main products designed to anchor Hyundai’s hydrogen ambitions:

  1. Next-generation hydrogen fuel cells, designed for improved power, durability, and cost efficiency; and
  2. PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) electrolyzers, a technology that converts water into high-purity hydrogen using electricity, all without carbon emissions.

The company claims roughly 90 percent localization of electrolyzer components—an impressive figure that underscores both technological maturity and domestic self-reliance. Hyundai has already demonstrated a 1 MW electrolyzer system, producing over 300 kilograms of hydrogen per day, and is working on a 5 MW project in Jeju to expand green hydrogen production.

From Pistons to Proton Exchange Membranes

Replacing a transmission plant with a hydrogen production hub feels like poetic justice for a company that once built its identity on ICE vehicles. But Hyundai isn’t sentimental—it’s pragmatic. Hydrogen fuel cells, which generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction, are seen as a scalable complement to battery-electric technology, particularly for heavy-duty and long-range applications where fast refueling and high energy density matter.

To make that vision real, Hyundai will deploy advanced robotics and safety monitoring systems throughout the new facility, improving both worker safety and manufacturing precision. The company describes the plant as an “advanced manufacturing platform,” suggesting it will serve as a blueprint for future hydrogen facilities globally.

Building a Hydrogen Ecosystem

Hyundai’s ambitions go far beyond vehicle powertrains. The company envisions a full hydrogen value chain—from production and storage to transport and end use. That vision is already attracting partners: at the ceremony, Hyundai signed an MoU with KGM Commercial, a major Korean bus manufacturer, for the supply of hydrogen fuel cells.

Guests at the event were treated to a showcase of Hyundai’s hydrogen-powered lineup, including the all-new Nexo, fuel-cell trucks, excavators, marine vessels, tractors, and forklifts—a vivid reminder that hydrogen’s promise extends well past the highway.

While the global auto industry continues its battery-electric love affair, Hyundai is keeping the hydrogen flame alive—and doing so at scale. The company’s long game is clear: to diversify clean energy mobility and give hydrogen the industrial muscle it needs to compete.

If the Ulsan facility delivers as promised, South Korea won’t just be home to one of the world’s most advanced hydrogen production plants—it could become the nexus of a cleaner, faster, and more versatile mobility future.

Source: Hyundai