Yet another teaser image of the Hyundai’s flagship EV has dropped, a week ahead of its probable LA Motor Show reveal.
The latest x-ray-like image is of the car’s interior, showing three rows of seats and a premium Bose stereo. Earlier in the week, Hyundai released some teaser shots of the front end. It also posted an image of the interior and its captain’s chair style of seating in the second row.
One image reveals the front of the Ioniq 9 sans camouflage. It is less upright than that of its EV9 close relative. It looks to have a lightbar running across its width, with vertical headlights set below. That’s very similar to the Hyundai Seven concept of 2021. Expect the pixel-style LED design found on models like the Ioniq 5.
The profile gives more of an idea of overall design too, being sleeker than EV9, with an upward kink in the rear window.
The windscreen is steeply raked and the roofline slopes down towards the rear, as is the fashion these days. This then is closer to the Hyundai Ioniq 6 saloon than EV9, and will no doubt enhance aerodynamics and range. However, headroom for those sitting in the third-row seats might be impacted.
It would appear that the Volvo EX90 competitor has stolen a few interior elements from other recently released Hyundai models, including new Santa Fe.
Both have a curved dual-display set-up, with a chunky steering wheel and gear selector attached to the steering column. Shortcut buttons and touch-sensitive climate controls are found on the dashboard, as with other Hyundais. However, the Ioniq 9 would seem to have a floating centre console, unlike Santa Fe.
The final reveal is promised for this month, meaning the 2024 LA show which is where the Seven concept was revealed three years ago.
Underpinnings will be the same as EV9 uses, namely the E-GMP platform. So we can expect the same combinations of batteries and motors as the Kia seven-seat EV. Most will get the 99.8kWh battery that feeds a 150kW motor or a 283kW dual-motor set-up. The EV9 battery range is around 560km so Ioniq 9 should be similar, perhaps a touch better.
It will also feature 800V electrical architecture, meaning a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in 24min.
Given Kia is said to be working on a GT version of its EV9, it wouldn’t be such a stretch to figure Hyundai has an Ioniq 9 N in the pipeline as well. It will then join the 5 N and the forthcoming Ioniq 6 N is said to have even stronger EV powertrain.
