Dramatic Hyundai Ioniq Earth and Venus concept cars launch exclusive Chinese sub-brand
Domestic car brands in China might be king, but new Earth and Venus concepts suggest Korea’s Hyundai isn’t backing down
Hyundai has announced that it will turn its Ioniq electric cars into their own sub-brand exclusively for China. It’ll launch with two new concepts, the Venus and Earth, and focus on technologies designed specifically to appeal to the Chinese market. Production versions of both these models will not find their way into global markets like the UK and Europe, but they could preview design and technological developments that will.
Both new concept cars will share a similar set of technologies under the skin, launching with all-electric and range-extender hybrid powertrain options. This is the first time the Ioniq brand has been associated with any form of ICE powertrain. These models will also feature autonomous driving functionality developed in conjunction with Hyundai’s partners in China.
The two concepts reveal a new design language tailored for China. Gone are the small cube design motifs of the global Ioniq products, and in their place is a cleaner and more sophisticated look.
Hyundai has been noted for the variety of its design across different models, but we suspect that a more cohesive design language across its new Ioniq range could take hold, giving the brand better customer recognition in the crowded Chinese market.
These models will rival cars from BYD, Chery, Geely and more when they are put into production, so will have lots of space to make up against in the Chinese market.
No technical specifications have been revealed for either concept – or for the production models they preview – but Hyundai has confirmed that its new naming strategy will apply, with all future Ioniq models in China named after planets in our solar system.
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Ioniq Venus Concept
The first of these new concepts is a sleek and driver-focused saloon called the Venus. While the notion of a saloon in 2026 might sound a little old-fashioned, Hyundai’s interpretation is not. The car features a dramatic short-nosed silhouette and arching roofline.
It’s not dissimilar in principle from the now-cancelled Honda 0 Series saloon, and will contrast greatly with the more traditional three-box shapes of cars it’ll compete with in China.
The cabin is also more driver-focused, with dark materials, metallic touchpoints and a large screen spreading across from the dash centre to the passenger side.
Ioniq Earth Concept
The Earth Concept by contrast is a more upright SUV that aims to strike a balance between family-friendly practicality and rugged ability. The short-nosed, or cab-forward, silhouette is still in use, and by extension the cabin is more practical and ‘living room-like’.
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