- Hyundai has unveiled the Elexio, its first EV tailored specifically towards Chinese car shoppers.
- A product of Hyundai’s joint venture with BAIC, the Elexio is reportedly built on the same 800-volt E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5 sold in the United States.
- The Elexio’s sharp styling features a new interpretation of the brand’s distinctive cube lighting motif.
Hyundai’s electric lineup has rapidly expanded over the last few years, with the mid-size Ioniq 9 three-row SUV joining the compact Ioniq 5 SUV, Ioniq 6 sedan, and Kona Electric SUV this spring. Overseas, Hyundai also sells the adorable Inster, which spawned the wild Insteroid concept earlier this year. Now, Hyundai is continuing its electric offensive by revealing a new electric SUV for the Chinese market, the slick-looking Elexio.Beijing HyundaiThe Elexio is a product of Beijing Hyundai, the South Korean automaker’s joint venture with Chinese conglomerate BAIC that began in 2002. The Elexio is also Hyundai’s first EV developed specifically for the Chinese market. The reveal focused exclusively on the crisp exterior styling, with the cabin and technical details remaining a mystery. It’s also unclear exactly how big the Elexio is, but it looks to slot somewhere between the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9.The Elexio’s design bears a familial resemblance to the Ioniq 9, with a smooth slope to the front end, a full-width front light bar, and a new take on Hyundai’s cube motif in both the light bar and main headlight units. The side profile features chiseled wheel arches formed from distinctive character lines, while the grayed-out D-pillar slashes forward in a way that is reminiscent of the new Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell SUV. The back end also features a full-width light bar that curves underneath the rear windshield.Beijing HyundaiBeijing HyundaiWhile we will have to wait to know more about the Elexio’s powertrain, several rumors give us an idea of what to expect. Initial reporting from Electrek prior to the Elexio’s reveal suggested it would use a 400-volt version of the E-GMP platform, which forms the basis for the Kia EV3 and EV4. However, The Korean Car Blog reported that the Elexio is actually built on the 800-volt E-GMP architecture, which would give it the same rapid charging capabilities that we’ve experienced with the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6.According to The Korea Car Blog, the Elexio can charge from 30 to 80 percent in 27 minutes. We recently tested a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 at a 350-kW DC fast-charger, where the EV went from 10 to 90 percent in 30 minutes, making us think the estimate for the Elexio is a bit conservative. The same website also reports that the Elexio will have a range of nearly 435 miles on China’s optimistic test cycle. Official details about the Elexio should emerge later this year.More on Hyundai’s EV LineupCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Source: caranddriver.com
