All-new Hyundai Elexio: Bizarre design, huge 435-mile electric range

While Hyundai and Genesis are part of the same family and share technology, each brand brings their own unique style. Well, until now anyway, because it appears someone decided it would be a good idea to blend them together to create this: the all-new Hyundai Elexio – a new, all-electric SUV that’s been designed exclusively for China.

Hyundai is just one of many brands launching new electric cars exclusively for the Chinese market, with others including Volkswagen, Audi and Volvo. The Elexio is also the latest creation from Beijing Hyundai, which is a joint venture between the South Korean marque and China’s BAIC Motor that operates its own brand called Beijing – hence the name.

There’s no obvious resemblance between the Elexio and any of Hyundai’s other electric cars, not least because it doesn’t have the distinctive pixel lighting introduced by the space-age Ioniq 5. The cubic lighting design is more like the new ‘Micro Lens Array’ LED that’s just been added to the Genesis GV60 and Electrified GV70.

The sloping roof and window lines, and matte grey D-pillar, are also very Genesis-like. Meanwhile the smooth surfacing, full-width light bars on the front and rear, and dramatic bumper designs are suitably Hyundai-esque.

Hyundai hasn’t shared any pictures of the Elexio’s interior yet, but one thing we do know is it won’t feature any physical buttons – another point of difference with the EVs Hyundai sells here, which feature scores of buttons and dials. Apparently, the cabin of the Elexio has been designed to emphasise a “sense of openness” and also has an abundance of storage spaces.

In terms of technology, the Elexio is capable of Level 2+ autonomous driving and, like most new cars these days, features artificial intelligence to help with voice commands. It appears that there’s the potential for drivers to also be able to watch Tik Tok videos through the car’s infotainment system, hopefully only when parked or charging.

The differences continue under the metal, because while the Elexio uses the same E-GMP dedicated electric-car platform that the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 9 are all based on, it doesn’t get the same 800-volt electrical system as its cousins. That might not sound like a massive deal, but that system is what allows for those cars' incredibly fast charging capabilities.

To put it another way, the Ioniq 5 can complete a 10-80% top-up in as little as 18 minutes, while the Elexio needs about half an hour to be replenished from 30-80%. It’s a little odd when you consider that the Kia EV3 also uses the E-GMP platform and does without the advanced 800V tech, but still manages to get from 10-80% in the same amount of time.

The newcomer makes up for its iffy charging speeds with an enormous range of 435 miles; however we’re all but certain that figure is based on the Chinese CLTC test cycle, rather than the stricter, but more realistic WLTP standard employed in Europe.

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