Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors (HSDM) has officially confirmed that the retro-looking Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicle (EV) will be coming to Malaysia. According to HSDM’s press release, interested buyers can now book the car for a fee of RM1,000 at any authorised Hyundai showrooms. The official price of the car is still kept under lock and key.
According to the press release, the Malaysian model will be available with two battery capacity options. The base 58kWh battery will be paired to a rear-wheel drive, single motor set up producing 215 hp and 350 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the higher capacity 72.6kWh battery will be coupled with an all-wheel drive, dual motor system. This combination will produce 302 hp and 605 Nm of torque, which is the highest performance available for the Ioniq 5 range. But both models will be limited to a top speed of 185km/h.
The HSDM’s press release was quite light on details and did not mention variants or a launch date. However, a day before HSDM made the official announcement, Paultan got their hands on an “Open for Booking Now!” poster from Hyundai 3S Melaka operated by Sing Kwung Premium. So, to try and find out more information about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in Malaysia, I contacted the dealership.
I was told that the car is expected to launch sometime in April of 2022 with an estimated delivery time of 6 to 9 months. The dealer also added that the car will come in three variants, with the range-topping variant supposedly priced around RM300K. Before ending the conversation, the sales advisor said to expect more details closer to the launch date.
Paultan on the other hand managed to get a little more information from their trusted sales advisor. According to them, the three variants could be called Lite, Plus and Max, similar to the Malaysian Hyundai Kona Electric. The Lite will be the cheapest among the range with the smaller 58kWh battery. The Plus will keep the same drivetrain but will be better equipped in terms of features. Finally, the Max will be the flagship of the model range with the bigger 72.6 kWh battery and all the bells and whistles.
As for range, expect 430km based on the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) cycle for the AWD model. The Ioniq 5 supports 350kW DC fast charging which can take the 72.6kWh battery from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes or 100km of WLTP-rated range after just five minutes of charging. Charging the car is going to be quite a challenging task for anyone buying an EV in Malaysia right now.
Now, for those who have been following the EV story on SoyaCincau, you will know that Malaysia does not have any 350kW DC fast chargers. The highest power output we can get from a charger is 180kW from Shell’s Recharge network, which is currently only operational in Tangkak, Johor. There are no time estimates for the 180kW charger, but Paultan says a 50kW charger will take about 60 minutes to get an 80% charge. Using a 10.5kW AC wallbox charger will take a little over 6 hours to fully charge the car. If you dare plug the 72.6 kWh model into a home power outlet, expect to wait 31 hours for a full charge from 0%.
One cool feature that the Ioniq 5 will come with is vehicle to load (V2L), which allows the car to power other electric appliances – as long as it is within the power range. For example, you can power an electrical appliance via the charging port of the vehicle using an adapter. Alternatively, there is an available three-pin socket at the base of the rear bench seat so you can directly plug in your laptop.
The Ioniq 5 is the second Hyundai EV to be introduced in Malaysia after the arrival of the Kona Electric in November 2021. Unlike the Kona Electric which shares the same platform with its petrol-powered siblings, the Ioniq 5 uses Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (e-GMP) that’s dedicated to EV vehicles. Furthermore, the Ioniq 5 is currently positioned as Hyundai’s flagship EV, thus leaning towards the luxury and premium market.
The Ioniq 5 is based on the Hyundai 45 concept car shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, which in turn was based on the 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept, showcased at the 1974 Turin Motor Show. If one of you find that the Pony Coupe Concept resembles a DeLorean DMC-12, it’s because both cars were designed by Goigetto Giugiaro, the founder of Italdesign Giugiaro.
Coming back to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, despite being a hatchback, don’t mistake it for the size of Volkswagen Golf. To put it into perspective, the 3-metre long wheelbase is longer than that of a Toyota Camry (2.8m) and even a Mercedes-Benz E-class (2.9m).
On the inside, it has a more familiar design language. The dual-screen layout for the instrument panel and infotainment system resembles that of the current Mercedes-Benz E-class in Malaysia.
A boxed-up teaser display of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Ground Floor, Centre Court from 2nd to 6th March 2022.
Currently, HSDM’s EV lineup only consists of the Hyundai Kona Electric which made its Malaysian debut at the end of 2021. With the tax exemption incentives for EVs in Malaysia, the car is priced between RM149,888 to RM199,888.
There is one unit of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 already on Malaysian roads and it’s owned by the Sultan of Johor. As an avid petrol head and car collector, His Majesty had got it imported sometime before September 2021.
Would you consider buying the Hyundai Ioniq 5 knowing the current state of public fast-charging stations in Malaysia?
