How big will the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq be? The Korean brand has hinted at what to expect from the new Tesla Model S sedan competing with an electric car

The Ioniq 6 sedan, Hyundai's next dedicated EV model, is set to share the huge dimensions of the Ioniq 5 SUV.

Speaking to Cars Guide at the local launch of the Ioniq 5, Hyundai Australia hinted at how big its next dedicated electric car will be.

It has long been known that the initial trio of Ioniqs, based on the e-GMP brand's custom electric base, will consist of the Ioniq 5 midsize SUV, the Ioniq 6 sedan and the Ioniq 7 large SUV.

But with the imposing dimensions of the Ioniq 5 with a wheelbase of 3000mm, which is larger than the large Palisade brand SUV (2900mm), will the Ioniq 6 be a huge sedan? Or will the platform shrink - as has been suggested in the past - to accommodate something that more closely resembles a vehicle from Hyundai's existing lineup, such as the i30 or Sonata?

Shedding some light, Andrew Tuitahy, head of product development at Hyundai Australia, explained: “In terms of dimensions, expect about the same dimensions as the Ioniq 5. Obviously, in the case of a sedan, the proportions will mean a significantly different profile, different height. But similar in size to the Ioniq 5.”

For reference, this means that the Ioniq 6 is going to be a big device: the Ioniq 5 is 4635mm long and 1890mm wide. A similar 3000mm wheelbase alone would mean it would be much larger than a Sonata or i30 sedan, and its wheelbase makes it nearly as long as a Genesis G80 luxury sedan (3010mm).

So, it's likely that we'll see a flagship sedan, perhaps something with similar proportions to the Toyota Mirai hydrogen sedan, which itself is a large sedan with SUV-style wheels and a 2900mm wheelbase.

The Prophecy Concept offers a sleek coupe design, but its e-GMP underpinnings will make it sizable.

How will it look like? If you look at the current generation Ioniq 5 or Tucson, you'll notice how similar the production cars are to the 45 and Vision T concepts they were based on, respectively, so would Hyundai be able to pull that off? for the third time to make Ioniq 6 as close to the Prophecy concept as possible?

Chris Saltapidas, head of product planning for Hyundai Australia, did not directly answer this question, but only said: "There are definitely similarities."

The Prophecy concept, first shown in March 2020, hints at what we can expect, with an almost Porsche-like aero nose, sleek alloys, pixelated lighting and interior motifs that continue those coming from the Ioniq 5, and an ultra- a long wheelbase that gives the coupé body an "interior like living space".

Just don't expect the steering wheel to disappear in the process...

The Ioniq 6 will probably keep the floor level, but don't expect to control it with joysticks like the Prophecy concept suggests.

The Ioniq 6 is expected to be unveiled next year, with a production start date currently set for June as the brand makes the latest changes to battery design and specifications. These are said to include switching to the 77.4kWh battery used in the Kia EV6 from the 72.6kWh battery used in the Ioniq 5 version that is arriving.

It will soon be followed by Hyundai's third e-GMP-badged vehicle, the Ioniq 7, which is expected to be more similar in size to the large Palisade SUV.