Over 100 Automotive journalists from around the world chose the Hyundai Ioniq 6 to win: World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year. This follows on from the predecessor model Hyundai Ioniq 5 winning the same categories last year.
Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company commented:
“We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honour two years in a row, which recognises the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market. This honour reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider.”
SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center also said:
“We always want to connect with customers on an emotional level and with the design of the IONIQ 6 we have created truly one of a kind. The daring streamliner styling combines strong emotional appeal with aerodynamic efficiency to give exceptional range. Inside, we set-out to create a personal studio which offers the mindful space and calm functionality which, we believe, elevates EV design.”
The IONIQ 6 takes advantage of Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) architecture to enable a spacious interior and 800V ultra-fast charging which can achieve a 10 to 80% charge in just 18 minutes.
With an ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.21, IONIQ 6 is one of the most aerodynamic and energy efficient EVs on the market with a maximum WLTP rated range on a single charge of 614 km. The 2WD model with 18-inch tire achieves WLTP-rated energy consumption of 13.9 kWh/100 km.
IONIQ 6’s features include Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology, driver assistance systems and advanced connectivity with over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
Hyundai says these awards for the IONIQ will help to accelerate their electrification strategy and aim to become the world’s leading EV maker. Hyundai Motor plans to introduce 17 new BEV models by 2030 (including Genesis luxury brand models) and aims to boost annual global battery electric vehicle sales to 1.87 million by 2030.
Hyundai’s sister company Kia won World Performance Car for the Kia EV6 GT, giving the Korean sister companies wins in 4 out of 6 categories together.
President and CEO of Kia Ho Sung Song said
“To be recognized in this way by the World Car Awards’ judges is a tremendous honor. As Kia transitions to become a world-leading sustainable solutions provider, we are leaving no stone unturned to create vehicles which deliver exceptional practicality while also inspiring customers through their ingenuity, technology, and design. This latest prestigious accolade provides further confirmation of the success of our strategy.”
With a combined power output of 430 kW (585 PS), enabling a 3.5-second 0-100km/h acceleration time and a top speed of 260 km/h, the all-electric EV6 GT’s long-range capability, spacious interior, and sophisticated design saw it beat stiff competition from more traditional petrol-powered sports cars including the Nissan Z and the Toyota GR Corolla.
At it’s recent 2023 CEO Investor Day Kia updated its mid to long-term business strategy with a focus on electrification. Kia’s updated 2030 annual sales target is 4.3 million, of which 55% (2.38 million) will be electrified vehicles.
Kia has identified connectivity services; autonomous driving technology; performance; and design as its four key product attributes to lead the future mobility market and develop differentiated products.
Kia says it will build a connected car data cloud and apply connectivity features to all newly launched vehicles from 2025. It’s wide array of OTA services and additional features available features available at the Kia Connect Store will help customers to choose features tailored to their lifestyle and keep them up-to-date at all times.
Regarding autonomous driving technology, the upcoming Kia EV9 will feature HDP (Highway Drive Pilot), a conditional level three autonomous driving technology, which allows the driver to operate the vehicle “hands-off” under specific conditions. In 2026, Kia plans to introduce HDP2 technology that will support “eyes-off” driving under certain conditions.
2030 Goals
The goals of by each brand to sell 1.87 million (Hyundai) and 2.38 million (Kia) EV’s respectively within 7 years means a total aim of 4.25 million EV’s sold across the two sister companies.
Currently Hyundai and Kia are concentrating on building class leading SUV’s and Sedans for car buyers who have sizable mid, high and luxury level budgets.
Hopefully they also plan to release some smaller EV’s in the future, giving lower budget buyers a chance to experience Hyundai & Kia award winning design and tech.
It would also be good competition for the “value” segment Chinese EV manufacturers MG, BYD and GWM.
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