Tag Archives: Ioniq 9

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

News

Hyundai IONIQ 9 Becomes Mobile Drone Station for Reforestation

Hyundai Motor Company is redefining the role of electric vehicles in environmental stewardship with the debut of its latest innovation: the IONIQ 9-based Seed Ball Drone Station. This new mobile reforestation unit builds upon the company’s sustainability initiatives, following the successful launch of the IONIQ 5 Monitoring Drone Station in 2023. The project will begin deployment in Uljin, a region on Korea’s East Coast that suffered devastating wildfires in 2022.

An SUV Reimagined for Environmental Action

At the heart of this initiative is the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s flagship electric SUV. But this isn’t your average EV. In partnership with reforestation tech startup Guru E&T, Hyundai has transformed the IONIQ 9 into a purpose-built drone operations vehicle equipped for tree planting, ecological monitoring, and forest restoration.

From the outside, the Seed Ball Drone Station maintains the IONIQ 9’s refined presence. Underneath, however, it’s a different beast entirely — rugged, off-road-capable, and tech-packed to handle remote terrain and field missions with precision. A drone takeoff and landing platform is seamlessly integrated into the trunk, while the vehicle’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) system autonomously powers all drone operations without external electricity sources.

Precision from Above: Seed Ball Drone Tech

The centerpiece of this eco-tech arsenal is a large-capacity drone capable of carrying and dispersing seed balls — compact clay spheres filled with a mixture of soil, organic matter, and seeds. This method allows for efficient aerial planting in terrain too dangerous or inaccessible for human reforestation crews.

The approach combines ancient seeding concepts with modern automation, turning a high-tech SUV and drone pairing into a formidable force against deforestation. It’s quiet, clean (with zero tailpipe emissions), and engineered for minimal disruption to fragile ecosystems.

Mobile Command Center on Four Wheels

Inside, the IONIQ 9 becomes a fully functional drone command hub. The rear cabin features a swivel operator seat, dual monitors, and a dedicated drone operations PC, providing operators with a streamlined interface to control flights, map planting zones, and collect forest health data — all while remaining on site in remote forest regions.

The integrated system exemplifies Hyundai’s fusion of mobility, sustainability, and digital innovation, converting a luxury EV into a crucial tool in climate resilience.

Partnerships Driving Progress

This latest initiative stems from Hyundai’s ongoing five-year partnership with the Korea National Arboreta and Gardens Institute and Tree Planet, a social venture focused on tree planting. The collaboration, signed in June 2023, supports Hyundai’s broader Smart Forest Restoration Program, designed to rehabilitate wildfire-stricken landscapes through advanced data and drone technology.

The Uljin project aligns with Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest initiative — a global CSR campaign launched in 2016 that promotes forest creation and environmental education. With successful efforts already underway in 13 countries, including the U.S., Brazil, Vietnam, and India, Hyundai plans to eventually deploy drone-equipped IONIQ vehicles to IONIQ Forest sites around the world.

Redefining What an Electric Vehicle Can Do

With the IONIQ 9 Seed Ball Drone Station, Hyundai Motor Company demonstrates how the next generation of EVs can go beyond mobility and into the realm of climate restoration. This is not just an electric SUV — it’s a mobile ecosystem engineer, a smart forestry assistant, and a symbol of how automakers can rethink their role in shaping a sustainable future.

As wildfires and deforestation continue to pose major global challenges, Hyundai’s innovative blend of automotive engineering and environmental responsibility points to a promising path forward — one seed ball at a time.

Source: Hyundai

EV

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9

After a long development and testing period, the new Hyundai Ioniq 9 has finally arrived on the market. It is an all-electric car that will go on sale in South Korea in early 2025, and in Europe at a later date.

The Ioniq 9 has several visual features reminiscent of the SEVEN concept presented a few years ago, such as Parametric Pixel lights, and is the first car from the South Korean company to come without a roof antenna, instead using the windshield for GPS and satellite radio.

With a wheelbase of 3,130 mm, the car offers a spacious cabin enough to accommodate six or seven passengers, and the third-row seats can be rotated. The seats are upholstered in plush materials, which provide comfort on long journeys. Some parts of the interior are covered in environmentally friendly materials, including recycled PET fabric, wool fabric and environmentally treated leather, which emphasizes the car’s environmental credentials.

In front of the driver is a curved screen with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12-inch infotainment display, and a steering wheel with small green LEDs that allow the driver to monitor the battery level. Additional equipment includes eight speakers, several USB-C ports, which are powered directly from the 110.3 kWh battery, rather than a 12-volt battery, and buyers can also choose a 14-speaker Bose system.

For passenger safety, there are ten airbags, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Safe Exit Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist and High Beam Assist.

When it comes to the powertrain, the Ioniq 9 is powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor with 218 hp (160 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque, and offers a range of up to 620 kilometers. Those who want more power can choose the Long Range AWD version powered by a front-mounted electric motor with 323 hp (237 kW). At the top of the range is the Performance version with two electric motors with a total output of 436 hp (321 kW). This version reaches 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, the Long Range AWD reaches 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds, while the base Long Range RWD version reaches 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds. Top speed for all versions is 200 km/h (124 mph). Customers can choose between 19-, 20- and 21-inch wheels, including a set of flagship 21-inch Calligraphy wheels.

The Ioniq 9 is equipped with a 110.3 kWh battery that can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in just 24 minutes thanks to a 350 kW charger.

Source: Hyundai

Gallery:

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 9