Hyundai's next electric car could be a Kia EV5 sibling: Spied

01/05/2025 02:00 PM

Hyundai's next electric car, potentially called Ioniq 4, has reportedly been confirmed in a Chinese database.

An image shared to Korean forum Autospy shows two new Hyundai vehicles are under development to be sold in China – at least one with electric power – codenamed internally as 'OE' and 'EA', respectively.

The vehicle codenamed 'OE' is expected to become the next Ioniq-badged electric car from Hyundai – following the Ioniq 5 mid-size SUV (codenamed NE), Ioniq 6 sedan (CE) and Ioniq 9 large SUV (ME).

Potentially called Ioniq 4, the model could be positioned similarly to the Kia EV5, which is shorter nose to tail and narrower than the Kia EV6 – the Ioniq 5’s close relative – for a smaller footprint, but taller with a more conventional SUV shape inspired by the seven-seat Kia EV9.

The first letter in the two-letter model codes for Hyundai and Kia vehicles typically follow a common theme – 'L' for extra-large SUVs, 'M' for large SUVs, 'N' for mid-size SUVs, and 'Q' or 'S' for small SUVs.

'O' is an outlier which has been used for the EV5 (OV), and suggests a vehicle between the Ioniq 5 and Kona Electric (codenamed SX2) in size – as the EV5 is.

Spy images of the Hyundai 'OE' shared to Korean and Chinese forums show a small to mid-sized SUV which appears to be taller than the hatchback-like Ioniq 5 with a similar shape to other electric SUVs like the EV5, Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 3.

It is possible the model will be a twin-under-the-skin to the EV5 – hence the similar ‘O’ codenames – underpinned by the Hyundai-Kia group's lower-cost N3 eK platform derived from its petrol-powered vehicles, rather than its dedicated E-GMP electric vehicle architecture.

The Korean Car Blog claims the car will be based on the E-GMP architecture, but does not reveal the source of its information.

It also does not state if it would use the new front-wheel-drive version underpinning to the Kona-sized Kia EV3 – with 400-volt electrics to reduce cost – or the more expensiv 800-volt rear-wheel-drive version from higher-priced cars such as the Ioniq 5.

The spy images reveal the vehicle will have a design familiar to Hyundai's existing Ioniq line-up, with a similar alloy wheel, side mirror and interior door handle design to the Ioniq 5, as well as a familiar 'Parametric Pixel' motif on the back of the passenger seat.

Hyundai does not currently sell an electric vehicle in China outside of the high-performance Ioniq 5 N launched in 2024.

It is despite electric and plug-in hybrid 'new energy' models accounting for more than half of all new-vehicle sales in the world's largest car market.

Hyundai recently injected $US1.1 billion ($AU1.8 billion) into its Beijing Hyundai joint-venture with BAIC Motor to accelerate its electrified vehicle sales in China, with the rumoured Ioniq 4 a good fit to become its first mass-market all-electric model in the country.

It is currently unknown if the Ioniq 4 will be sold globally like the Kia EV5 – which is exported from China to markets such as Australia, along with a forthcoming Korean-built version for the US and Europe – or if it will be a China-exclusive model tailored to that market.

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