Tag Archives: Ioniq 3

News

Hyundai to launch five new EVs in the next two years

By the time Milan Design Week wraps up this April, Hyundai will have thrown a very pointed gauntlet into the compact-EV arena. It’s called the Ioniq 3, and it’s aimed squarely at the heart of Europe’s most hotly contested electric segment.

Think Volkswagen ID.3, Renault Mégane E-Tech, and Peugeot e-308—but with Hyundai’s design swagger and the kind of platform sharing that’s made the Korean group such a quiet juggernaut in the EV space. Previewed by last year’s Concept Three, the Ioniq 3 will be Hyundai’s new electric hatchback for the masses, sliding neatly between the city-sized Inster and the family-friendly Ioniq 5.

Underneath, it rides on the 400-volt version of Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP architecture—the same bones as the upcoming Kia EV4—bringing with it shared motors and battery packs. The biggest of those should be good for around 390 miles of range on Europe’s optimistic test cycle, which, even after real-world trimming, still puts it in the sweet spot for daily commuting and long-haul autobahn runs alike.

Hyundai plans to build the Ioniq 3 in Izmit, Turkey, starting late this summer, on the same lines as the gasoline-powered i20. That dual-track production strategy says a lot about where Hyundai’s head is right now: all-in on electrification, but smart enough not to bet the company on one powertrain alone. Expect prices to start around £35,000, making it a direct, unapologetic rival to Europe’s EV establishment.

Size-wise, think i20 footprint with i30-grade interior room—a trick made possible by the flat-floor, skateboard-style EV platform. That’s exactly the sort of packaging magic that’s turned once-humble hatchbacks into legit family cars, and it’s why the B- and C-segments are where the real EV fight is happening.

And Hyundai isn’t stopping at one. The Ioniq 3 is just the opening act in a five-model electrified blitz planned for Europe over the next 18 months. Two more small-car EVs are on the way, and don’t be surprised if one of them takes on a more SUV-ish stance, mirroring Kia’s EV3/EV4 double act.

At the same time, Hyundai is hedging with hybrids. A heavily revised i30 is in the works, along with a new Tucson and a second-gen Bayon—all set to go hybrid-only. It’s a pragmatic approach in a market where EV demand is still spiky and uneven from country to country.

“We’re betting on hybrids and EVs for the next few years,” says Hyundai Europe CEO Xavier Martinet, and he’s refreshingly candid about the uncertainty baked into Europe’s electrified future. Regulations change. Incentives come and go. Geopolitics gets messy. Hyundai’s answer is flexibility—something it can afford thanks to its vertically integrated empire that spans everything from batteries and software to robotics and heavy industry.

That agility is already paying off. Last year, Hyundai’s EV sales in Europe jumped 48 percent, pushing the brand to an 18-percent electric mix and helping it hit its CO₂ targets without leaning on emissions pooling. Hybrid and plug-in sales rose too, and overall the company grabbed a 4.5-percent slice of the European market, with the UK now its single biggest territory.

The message is clear: Hyundai doesn’t just want a piece of Europe’s EV future—it wants to own it. And the Ioniq 3, a compact hatch with big ambitions, is poised to be the car that makes that vision feel very real indeed.

Source: Hyundai

NEW CARS

Ioniq 3 Takes Shape: Hyundai’s Radical Electric Hatch to Debut in Munich

Hyundai is getting ready to shake up the electric hatchback market with a daring new concept bound for the Munich Motor Show. Dubbed Concept Three, the design study previews what will become the Ioniq 3, Hyundai’s upcoming compact EV and sibling to the Kia EV3. If the sketch is any indication, this is no ordinary commuter car—it’s a wedge of racing-inspired aggression wrapped around Hyundai’s proven E-GMP architecture.

From the side profile, Concept Three looks less like a practical hatchback and more like a two-door sports coupe. A massive rear wing, ducktail diffuser, and a front splitter that wouldn’t look out of place in touring-car racing all combine with sharply sculpted flanks and a visor-shaped greenhouse. Hyundai’s designers say the new look is rooted in a fresh philosophy called “Art of Steel,” which aims to mimic the bending and flowing of steel surfaces, emphasizing clean lines, sharp cuts, and fluid movement. Unlike the retro-inspired Ioniq 5 or the slab-sided Ioniq 9 SUV, Concept Three leans more toward the sleekness of the Ioniq 6 sedan.

The production Ioniq 3 is expected to arrive in the third quarter of 2026, with first deliveries potentially starting next summer. Underneath, it will ride on the group’s scalable E-GMP platform, meaning it should share specs with the Kia EV3. That suggests a choice between 58.3- or 81.4-kWh batteries, good for up to 590 kilometers of range, and a single front-mounted motor producing 204 horsepower and 283 Nm of torque.

Inside, Hyundai promises a step forward in everyday usability. A new infotainment system will tie driving modes to the cabin atmosphere—adjusting lighting and even ambient sound to match your chosen style. It’s an attempt to add more character and emotional connection to what’s typically the most clinical aspect of EVs.

If Hyundai holds true to the concept’s radical styling cues, the Ioniq 3 won’t just be another compact EV. It will land squarely in the ring with hot-looking electric hatches like the Cupra Born, signaling that Hyundai wants to fight on both design and driving appeal.

Source: Hyundai