Hyundai's new Ioniq 3 EV has gone on sale in the UK priced from just £18,495, thanks to it having been approved for the government's full £3750 Electric Car Grant.
The entry-level Ioniq 3 undercuts the rival Renault 5 Urban Range by a full £3000, and it is £1500 cheaper than the Citroën ë-C3 Urban Range – while outdoing both in the range stakes, being capable of 213 miles between charges.
It does, however, omit key equipment offered on other trims of the Ioniq 3. This includes the high-set instrument screen that was central to the Ioniq 3's new interior design, having been placed to keep drivers' eyes on the road. Instead of using the instrument panel, drivers will have to look over at the central infotainment touchscreen for their speed and odometer readings.
All versions of the Ioniq 3 receive the full government grant, meaning the Long Range model (capable of up to 308 miles) starts at £21,995. Upgrading to Premium trim, which reinstates the instrument screen, starts from £23,695.
Hyundai Ioniq 3: Everything you need to know
The Ioniq 3 has been positioned to rival an array of electric hatches, from the small Renault 5 to the larger Volkswagen ID 3 – and at 4.15m long and 1.51m tall, it sits right between them in size.
Its unusual shape is described by Hyundai as an ‘aero-hatch’, a sleek new form conceived with the goal of maximising aerodynamic efficiency.
This approach has resulted in a raked roofline, similar to that employed by the old Hyundai Veloster, ending with a prominent duck-tail rear spoiler. The rear lip is moulded into the leading edge of the boot, but range-topping N Line cars get an extension for a sportier look. The front end, meanwhile, has been sculpted to have the smallest frontal area possible.
Its efforts have yielded a drag coefficient of 0.26, which is better than the smaller but chunkier Renault 5 (0.29). As a result, the Ioniq 3 is said to be capable of driving 208 miles between charges when fitted with the standard 42.2kWh battery.
Lead exterior designer Manuel Schöttle said Hyundai began with the most efficient shape in aerodynamic terms for the Ioniq 3, but added it was “important to make sure it didn’t look like a soap bar”.
He said it was Hyundai’s first electric car designed in Europe, and it has been shaped according to Hyundai’s new 'Art of Steel' design language.
