The dramatically styled Hyundai Ioniq V unveiled at the 2026 Beijing motor show is being studied for export markets, including Australia.
With Hyundai’s sales in China in a massive slump, the Korean automaker has embarked on an ‘In China, For China, To Global’ strategy for its local division. One of the first fruits of this new plan is the Ioniq V, a 4.9m-long electric vehicle (EV) with a claimed range of 600km under the generous CLTC cycle.
According to Korean Car Blog, José Muñoz, CEO of the Hyundai brand, told media in attendance at the show that the company is conducting feasibility studies regarding the Ioniq V’s export potential.
Asia Pacific, Australia, the Middle East, and Latin America have all been named as potential markets for the Ioniq V.
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Tariffs are likely the reason why both Europe and the US are absent from the list. Since 2024 the European Union has imposed a tariff of up to 35.4 per cent on EVs made in China, although some models, such as the Cupra Tavascan, have been granted an exception in exchange for a minimum price guarantee and sales quota.
Meanwhile, a 100 per cent tariff has effectively barred all made-in-China EVs from the US, with the exception of the megabucks Lotus Eletre and Emeya.
Despite its edgy and aerodynamic Toyota Prius-like body, the Ioniq V is actually a sedan. Measuring 4900mm long, 1890mm wide, 1470mm tall, and riding on a 2900mm wheelbase, the Ioniq V is 45mm longer than the Ioniq 6, although it has a 50mm shorter wheelbase.
Few technical details about the Ioniq V have been revealed. We know the minimalist interior features a 27.0-inch 4K touchscreen on the dash, and vital information for the driver is presented on the Horizon Head Up Display, an instrumentation screen positioned where the dashboard and base of the windscreen meet.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip runs the car’s human interaction components, including the voice-driven ‘Smart AI’ assistant, and advanced driver assistance features are supplied by Momenta.
The Ioniq V will be built by Beijing Hyundai, a joint venture with local manufacturer BAIC that’s seen its sales crash from around 350,000 vehicles per quarter in 2018 to just shy of 27,000 for the first quarter of 2026.
To help revive the brand’s fortunes in China, the partners have committed ¥8 billion (A$1.6bn) to developing a bevy of electric and extended-range EV (EREV) models, and are hoping to achieve total sales of 500,000 cars per annum.
Although the V is the first Ioniq model to be developed in the country, it isn’t the first Hyundai EV to be developed with China in mind first. That honour goes to the Elexio, which went on sale in Australia earlier this year.