At the Hyundai stand at the ongoing Munich Motor Show is the Concept Three, which the carmaker claims is the Ioniq EV sub-brand’s first compact car concept. This continues a long line of show cars (45, Prophecy and Seven) preceding the production models (Ioniq 5, 6 and 9).
In this case, the Concept Three – as the name suggests – will preview the Ioniq 3, a small, sporty five-door hatchback that is set to do battle with the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and BYD Dolphin. With a cab-rearward design and a roofline that slopes towards the rear, it has shades of the Genesis GV60 about it, although the Hyundai will obviously be smaller and less upscale inside.
Looking very much like a blown-up Hot Wheels car, the Concept Three cuts a striking, confident figure, wearing an Art of Steel design language inspired by Hyundai’s “advanced steel technologies” – emphasised by the anodised look of the matte Tungsten Grey paint.
Diagonal slashes highlight the reverse-rake C-pillars and the joining between the clamshell bonnet and the doors, adding some sharpness and tension to contrast with the soft organic forms elsewhere. Just three main surfaces form the design of the Concept Three, Hyundai says, along with a yellow-tinted wraparound glasshouse (the cross-spoke wheels are coloured to match).
Hiding in the leading edge of the bonnet are slim daytime running lights that are very similar to those on the facelifted Ioniq 6, as well as the four dots – Morse code for “H” – that signify the Hyundai brand. Below this, the company’s signature Parametric Pixel lighting has evolved into a literal pixelated display that is capable of showing animations.
The Parametric Pixel theme is mirrored in the full-width taillights, enclosed in a cool transparent (again yellow-tinged) ducktail spoiler. In place of conventional door mirrors are cameras within round Death Star-like housings. Hyundai is clearly aware of the Star Wars association, because the gaping rear diffuser hides an inscription that reads, “May the downforce be with you.”
Inside, the grey and yellow theme continues, slathered on the futuristic egg-like seats with ginormous (and bizarre) rectangular headrests. The dashboard and centre console feature tubular forms; the former is fitted with physical air-con controls (rejoice!), the latter is topped by a strange pistol-grip grab handle that matches the door pulls.
The driver is faced with an oblong steering wheel with just a single bottom spoke and another Parametric Pixel display, as well as customisable “Bring Your Own Lifestyle” widgets that form an instrument display. Making a prominent appearance on the car is the ghost-like mascot Mr. Pix, which shows up in the displays and in Easter eggs like the dashboard end caps, the shark fin antenna and even the rear bumper shut line. A similar character was found on the wacky Insteroid concept from earlier this year.
Measuring 4,287 mm long, 1,940 mm wide and 1,428 mm tall, the Concept Three is around the same size as the Kia EV3 (ignoring the aggressively low height and the width inflated by the huge wheel arch flares) that it should share its mechanicals with. Meanwhile, its 2,722 mm wheelbase slots neatly between the EV3 (2,680 mm) and the EV4 (2,820 mm), with all three riding on the Hyundai group’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).
This being an outlandish concept, there are no technical details as yet. However, we can expect the production Ioniq 3 to feature the EV3’s 204 PS single front motor and a choice of either 58.3 kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery – delivering a WLTP-rated range of 436 km in the Kia – or a 81.4 kWh pack with a segment-busting 605 km of WLTP range.
Don’t expect the fast 800-volt DC fast charging of the other Ioniq models, however, with the Ioniq 3 expected to receive the 400-volt electrical architecture of the EV3, EV4 and Inster. As such, expect a charge from 10 to 80% to take slightly longer, at 29 minutes for the 58.3 kWh battery and 31 minutes for the 81.4 kWh unit.
Spurred on by a “surging demand for compact EVs” in Europe, the Ioniq 3 will be just the start of a new EV offensive that will see Hyundai launch 21 global EV models by 2030 and offer an electrified version of every model by 2027. No EVs on the cards for Malaysia, however – at least for the time being.
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