Electric vehicles are scoring some of the biggest auto news headlines at the moment. EV technology is advancing quickly and making battery-only cars more viable as everyday transportation, but limited public charging infrastructure continues to keep EVs from becoming a true mass-market phenomenon.
That's where plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) like the Hyundai Ioniq Electric Plus come in. Based on the all-battery Ioniq Electric, the Plus adds a gasoline engine to extend both this car's driving range and its appeal among mass-market consumers.
The Ioniq hybrid and Ioniq Electric (both of which are covered in their own buyer's guide entries) arrived as 2017 models; the Ioniq Electric Plus came a year later. It is unchanged for its second year on the market.
Ioniq Electric Plus pairs a 1.6L gas four-cylinder engine with an electric motor 164 hp and 195 lb-ft. Fully charged, an 8.9 kWh battery pack promises as much as 47 km of electric-only driving. When that runs out, the car operates like any gas-electric hybrid, using a little bit of gas and a little bit of electricity to get you where you're going.
Power goes to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
PHEV cars are a bridge technology conceived to give drivers with EV aspirations a taste of transportation without gasoline without having to worry about finding a charging station every time you venture out.
Ioniq Electric Plus trim levels are Preferred and Ultimate.
Ioniq Electric Plus Preferred starts out with 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, heated side mirrors, heated front seats, manual front seat adjustments, a six-speaker stereo with 7.0-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 4.2-inch digital gauge cluster display, LED daytime running lights and taillights, power eight-way driver's seat, heated rear seats, passive keyless entry, sunroof, heated steering wheel and blind spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert,
Ultimate models get HID headlights with automatic high beams, navigation, an eight-speaker stereo with 8.0-inch touchscreen, a 7.0-inch gauge cluster display, leather upholstery, auto-dimming rearview mirror, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, driver attention warning, lane keeping assist and forward collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian detection.
Hyundai's fuel consumption estimates for the Ioniq Electric Plus are 4.4/4.6 when running as a hybrid and 2.0 Le/100 km in electric mode.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
