2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV: Release Date, Range Boost & Changes

Latest news and rumors about the upcoming 2020 Hyundai Ionq EV release date (changes & upgrades)!

In the EV world, the Ioniq electric car set itself apart from the crowd when it was first released in the U.S. last year.

With a 124-mile range and a starting price below $30,000, not to mention a ton of interior space, the vehicle represented a true value proposition.

Less than 2 years later, those offerings now seem a little less impressive, a sure sign that the EV market is quickly evolving.

It goes with saying that the 5-door hatchback needs a little bit of a refresh, which is exactly what the Korean automaker has been working on lately.

We now officially know that a mid-cycle upgrade will be delivered in late 2019, so let’s take a closer look at some of the details.

• UPDATE: 2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV range

2020 Hyundai Ioniq electric to get new battery & increased range

For the 2020 version of the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq, we can expect to see a bigger battery pack as part of the set-up.

While we do not yet know what sort of size difference we are looking at, Gil Castillo, Hyundai’s senior group manager for alternative vehicle strategy, has officially confirmed that it will be bigger than the one found on the current model.

There are some rumors out there, though, with the general consensus being that the 2020 Ioniq EV facelift will replace the current 28-kWh battery pack with a 38-kWh unit.

If that is indeed the case, then expect the model to be able to go a whole lot further on a single charge, with said range potentially expanded to around 170 miles (272 km).

While there is no word on performances changes for the 2020 model, it stands to reason that the current electric motor, which generates 118 hp, would also be given an upgrade, as the current output is low for an electric car. Keep in the mind that another Hyundai EV, the Kona, has a motor that generates 201 horsepower.

Exterior design changes

A heavily camouflaged prototype model has already been seen out and about in the US as the Ioniq undergoes weather testing.

No obvious changes are visible, but that amount of camouflage suggests that changes are coming, probably in both front and back.

Those changes may well include a change to the signature grille, which may include a textured pattern much like the one seen on the Kona EV. Other than that, the camo makes it hard to tell what is going on with the rest of the exterior.

What we do know is that revised headlights and a mostly new front bumper with air intakes are on the prototype model.

Around back, there really is little to see, although there do appear to be new taillights and a bumper that is a little more aerodynamic.

We expect that better materials and upgraded tech will added to the interior of the revised Hyundai Ioniq EV.

2020 Hyundai Ioniq EV release date

Given that this model is still in the testing phase, no official release date has been announced, although we expect it to be in the second half of 2019. We will keep you posted with updates as we receive them.

Note: turn off the speakers!

BTW, this prototype of the 2020 Hyundai Ioniq was spied in Spain.