Hyundai Motor Group Proves Durability of Electric Vehicles Through Ioniq 5 Case Study
Hyundai Motor Group has announced that it has proven the high durability and technical completeness of its electric vehicles through a case study involving an Ioniq 5 that accumulated 660,000 kilometers of mileage in approximately three years.
The Ioniq 5 in question is a long-range rear wheel drive (RWD) model that was featured in a recent YouTube video. Lee Young-heum, the vehicle’s owner, is a salesperson who frequently travels long distances between the metropolitan area and provinces, often driving up to 900 kilometers per day. He chose the Ioniq 5 for its affordability and long-distance driving convenience.
After traveling approximately 580,000 kilometers over two years and nine months, Lee was offered a free replacement of major driving parts, including the battery and motor, by Hyundai Motor and Kia Namyang Research Institute. Notably, these parts had never been broken or repaired before, and the vehicle was still running normally at the time. The replaced parts were subsequently recovered by the laboratory for performance analysis.
Yoon Dal-young, a senior researcher at the Hyundai Motor and Kia Battery Development Center, noted that Lee’s vehicle was considered ideal for battery research due to its high mileage. The remaining life (State of Health, or SoH) of the collected battery was measured at 87.7%, a significantly better condition compared to some electric vehicle battery performance degradation complaints reported in other countries.
Lee shared his experience, stating, “Even though I charged the vehicle to 100% every day, I used it without any problems while driving more than 600,000 kilometers. The distance available per charge did not decrease significantly compared to when I first purchased the vehicle.” He praised the vehicle’s quietness, ride comfort, and low maintenance costs.
The Ioniq 5 is based on Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated electric vehicle platform, E-GMP, which features a spacious interior, a low center of gravity design, and an efficient driving system. Lee appreciated the vehicle’s performance, mentioning that he felt less tired even when driving 800 to 900 kilometers daily, thanks to its high output and comfort, particularly on highways. He also noted the vehicle’s quiet interior, which allowed him to enjoy audiobooks during his long drives.
Hyundai Motor Group plans to utilize the data from this case study to improve the durability and performance of future electric vehicles. The company is committed to strengthening its competitiveness in the global electric vehicle market, having won the World’s Car of the Year award four consecutive times with models such as the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, EV9, and EV3.
