The Hyundai Elexio mid-size electric SUV is coming to Australia to bridge the large gap between the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 electric vehicles, and to compete with the top-selling Tesla Model Y.
According to a confidential dealer bulletin obtained by CarExpert, the Elexio will be available for dealers to order from next month. The timing of the SUV’s arrival in Aussie showrooms and its local launch have yet to be announced.
At launch, the Elexio will be offered exclusively Down Under in Elite trim, and with just one drivetrain featuring a single 160kW motor fed by a 88kWh battery pack good for 546km of range, although we don’t know what standard that number is derived from.
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Regulatory filings in China show the 160kW motor drives the front wheels. Chinese buyers will also have the option of a 233kW dual-motor all-wheel drive variant.
Details about the car’s Australian specification were not included in this bulletin, and will be announced at a later date.
The Elexio will be positioned between the Kona Electric and the Ioniq 5. At the time of writing, the 4350mm Kona Electric is being offered for $35,990 drive-away, while the 4635mm Ioniq 5 is priced from $69,800 before on-road costs.
Details dredged up by Car News China show the Elexio is 4615mm long, 1875mm wide, 1673mm tall, and rides on a 2750mm wheelbase. All of the Elexio’s dimensions, apart from height, are identical to the Kia EV5.
The interior will be available with a 27.0-inch infotainment display in the centre of the dashboard, as well as two smartphone wireless charging pads, and around 29 storage compartments, including a sliding privacy box.
Unveiled in May, the Elexio will be built in China by Beijing Hyundai. It is the first EV from the Korean brand to be built in China, allowing it avoid the heavy tariffs levied on the various Ioniq models imported from South Korea.
Since the car’s unveiling, Beijing Hyundai has renamed the model to EO for the Chinese market, but it looks as though it will keep the Elexio nameplate when it boards the ship for Australia.
There has been plenty of speculation about the Elexio’s availability in Australia with a number of development models spied on local roads, and a local trademark filing for the nameplate back in May 2023, but Hyundai Australia has played a dead bat at all questions about the car.
