Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 will feature a larger battery and intriguing “video-based digital mirrors” as part of a 2023MY upgrade.
The first model based on Hyundai’s BEV-dedicated Electric Global Modular Platform, the Ioniq 5 was launched in February 2021 as the first of the Korean brand’s ‘Ioniq’ family of EVs, set to be joined by the Ioniq 6 sedan and Ioniq 7 SUV in 2023 and 2024 respectively. These three are among the core pillars of Hyundai’s ‘Strategy 2025’ roadmap to electrification.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Though limited, the key updates for 2023 include a new 77.4 kWh, which replaces the outgoing 72.6 kWh example courtesy of an additional two battery modules being implemented. The 58 kWh unit will remain as standard for entry level Hyundai models.
The updated 77.4 kWh pack also brings with it a new battery conditioning feature, a system that adjusts the battery temperature while travelling “to ensure optimal charging conditions”, particularly during cold weather. The feature is expected to be retrofitted to 2022MY Ioniq 5s via an over-the-air software update.
Read more: Hyundai releases Canadian, US pricing for Ioniq 5
One drawback, the system is only activated when users search for and select a charging point via the car’s navigation system.
Though the new battery pack will inevitably affect the Ioniq 5’s estimated range, Hyundai has yet to confirm new targets for the 77.4 kWh model. The previous 72.6 kWh example – on 19-inch wheels and with two-wheel drive only, could reach a maximum of 481 km on a single charge, meaning the updated model, in equivalent trim, could break, or be on the cusp of, the 500-kilometre barrier when it goes on sale in Europe later this year. Details on the North American release have yet to be finalized, though it is expected the 2023MY Ioniq 5 will be available by mid-2023. Similarly, there has been no official word on revised pricing for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in 2023.
Alongside the larger pack, Hyundai has also championed its new digital side and rear mirrors. The former offers a panoramic, rear-facing view courtesy of a new digital camera mounted in crossover’s rear spoiler, while the latter are said to provide a clearer view down both flanks, “even in bad weather” while simultaneously reducing air resistance.
Finally, new Smart Frequency Dampers are said to make the front and rear suspension more susceptible to road conditions, thus improving the ride.
