Hyundai Unveils Ioniq 3 Compact EV Hatchback

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the Ioniq 3, a compact electric hatchback aimed at urban drivers in Europe, on Tuesday at an event in Milan. The vehicle, priced from around 25,000 pounds in the United Kingdom, fills the gap between the brand's smaller Inster supermini and the larger Ioniq 5 crossover, emphasizing aerodynamic efficiency and interior space in a design Hyundai calls an "Aero Hatch."

The Ioniq 3 rides on the company's Electric-Global Modular Platform with a 400-volt architecture, shared with Kia’s upcoming EV2. It features a single front-wheel-drive electric motor producing up to 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, with a top speed limited to 105 miles per hour. The Standard Range model, equipped with a 42.2-kilowatt-hour battery, offers an estimated 213 miles of range under Europe's WLTP testing cycle and accelerates from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 9.0 seconds. The Long Range variant uses a 61-kilowatt-hour battery for up to 308 miles of range but delivers slightly less power at 135 horsepower, taking 9.6 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour.

Engineers optimized the car's exterior for low drag, achieving a coefficient of 0.263 through a sleek front end,...