Hyundai Ioniq 5: The new efficiency king?

[Dortreo]

Bengt Halvorson wrote in an evaluation of the Ioniq 5 that he saw 4.2 miles per kWH In what sounds like real world driving. This is the dual drive Ioniq 5, which disables one of the motors in eco mode. At $55K for the top of the line model, you can buy three of these or one Lucid Air DE.

In my drive route, I covered 165 miles, starting and stopping at the same elevation and according to a weighted average from the trip meter averaging nearly 4.2 miles per kwh—actually better than the EPA ratings might indicate, and indicating 300 miles of range or more is possible for dual-motor models. I drove aggressively for 20 or 30 miles of the route, clicking through all the modes for the balance, and then on the way back blended in with traffic. The weather on the entire route was a mild 59 to 64 degrees F.

Has anyone reported getting close to this figure with the Lucid Air except when hypermiling? The fact that Hyundai achieves this with a relatively inexpensive EV makes me wonder how lasting or real Lucid’s competitive advantage in efficiency is.

 

[Rob Stark]

The Lucid is very efficient while also getting 500+ miles of range in a big car.

Small car plus small battery plus low range is easy to get efficient.

The original Ioniq with ~124 miles of range is very efficient.

 

[Lucken]

Let’s be honest, with the way EVs are evolving, what ever EV we buy today will likely be overshadowed by better tech in 2 years. It hasn’t deterred me since I’ll be on my fourth EV next year. You buy today what you like today, but you do so with the awareness it won’t be at the top of the heap for very long.

 

[manitou202]

The new generation of EVs are getting close to the limits of efficiency. There is only so much that can be done to make a car more slippery and use less energy. Adding bigger batteries will be the only way to add significantly more range to these efficient EVs.

The biggest advancements in EVs over the next couple of generations will be energy density (more battery capacity and less weight) along with charging speed. The Ioniq 5 and the Lucid Air are both leaders in terms of charging speeds. Times will continue to improve, but a new generation of chargers will be required to get much faster. Improvements in energy density will allow for EVs to have 500+ mile ranges. We all know Lucid is the first to achieve this standard, but they did at the cost of adding weight. Once solid state batteries make it to the market towards the end of this decade, we will see 500+ mile ranges without the 1000lbs weight penalty.

 

[hmp10]

The fact that Hyundai achieves this with a relatively inexpensive EV makes me wonder how lasting or real Lucid’s competitive advantage in efficiency is.

Comparisons of efficiency are typically made between cars of similar size and weight. There are several EVs sold in Europe that have gotten better efficiency than the Lucid for quite some time. However, these are smaller cars with smaller frontal areas and in a different weight class.

Lucid's efficiency should be compared to cars such as the Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, Porsche Taycan, not to compact EVs such as the Renault Zoe, whose efficiency numbers have bettered the likes of Tesla (and Lucid) from the Zoe's introduction.

The same applies to other vehicle classes. Thus a Rivian R1T's efficiency would properly be compared to the Ford F150 Lightning, not to a sedan, as even a less well-engineered sedan will almost certainly have better efficiency than a large pickup truck.

The proper comparison of a Lucid's efficiency to that of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will come when Lucid produces its first CUV in the same size and weight class.

 

[Lucken]

The new generation of EVs are getting close to the limits of efficiency. There is only so much that can be done to make a car more slippery and use less energy. Adding bigger batteries will be the only way to add significantly more range to these efficient EVs.

The biggest advancements in EVs over the next couple of generations will be energy density (more battery capacity and less weight) along with charging speed. The Ioniq 5 and the Lucid Air are both leaders in terms of charging speeds. Times will continue to improve, but a new generation of chargers will be required to get much faster. Improvements in energy density will allow for EVs to have 500+ mile ranges. We all know Lucid is the first to achieve this standard, but they did at the cost of adding weight. Once solid state batteries make it to the market towards the end of this decade, we will see 500+ mile ranges without the 1000lbs weight penalty.

Correct, and as those batteries evolve, our current battery technology will look outdated. I think the improvements in energy density and its implementation will occur long before the end of the decade.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Anyone notice how Lucid's webpage is identified? Energy Storage Company. I'm sure this is old news,, Atieva, but I just noticed.

 

[Sandvinsd]

The new generation of EVs are getting close to the limits of efficiency. There is only so much that can be done to make a car more slippery and use less energy. Adding bigger batteries will be the only way to add significantly more range to these efficient EVs.

The biggest advancements in EVs over the next couple of generations will be energy density (more battery capacity and less weight) along with charging speed. The Ioniq 5 and the Lucid Air are both leaders in terms of charging speeds. Times will continue to improve, but a new generation of chargers will be required to get much faster. Improvements in energy density will allow for EVs to have 500+ mile ranges. We all know Lucid is the first to achieve this standard, but they did at the cost of adding weight. Once solid state batteries make it to the market towards the end of this decade, we will see 500+ mile ranges without the 1000lbs weight penalty.

Agree. But the Lucid Air will be at the top of technology for several years, until the battery technology improves. At that time we will be looking for a replacement to these models or upgrading the battery because we love the car. One can always wait for the latest technology, but you will always be waiting. Right now, this is the best there is (So buy the Lucid). Eventually all EVs will need to have 500 miles or 1000 km range at a minimum. If they do not, then consumers will want charging times to be similar to a current ICE refueling. Solid state batteries may provide that but it will be a decade at a minimum to be commercially available. EVs will Be the future because the government has blessed them (not entering into a climate change debate) and gas prices will force everyone to convert. Thei is not unlike the solar conversions in SD. We have the highest electric prices in the country (including Hawaii) and it is weekly that I see another homeowner putting solar on their roof. we also have the highest gas prices. Economics will rule and the conversion to EVs will happen. High electric rates seem like a negative for EV adoption. But, SDG&E has rate programs that make charging an EV overnight cheaper than driving an ICE despite 65 cent per kwH rates at the peak.

 

[hmp10]

In exactly one month (December 31 - February 1) we put 1650 miles on the Air Dream Performance. Our lighter (and surprisingly fuel-efficient) Honda Odyssey would have burned about $340.00 in gas at current local prices to go that same distance. We just got our electricity bill for January. At $422.11 it was still within the annual seasonal variance we see ($380-510 a month), despite adding a second EV to the household -- and putting a lot of miles on it.

 

[Sandvinsd]

In exactly one month (December 31 - February 1) we put 1650 miles on the Air Dream Performance. Our lighter (and surprisingly fuel-efficient) Honda Odyssey would have burned about $340.00 in gas at current local prices to go that same distance. We just got our electricity bill for January. At $422.11 it was still within the annual seasonal variance we see ($380-510 a month), despite adding a second EV to the household -- and putting a lot of miles on it.

We have a similar experience with our current Nissan Leaf . We average about the same number of miles a month as you did on the Lucid (~1700). Over the past year iwe averaged about $30-40 a month more on the electric bill (only charging the Leaf at home). The Sienna would have burned about $350 per month in gas. I figure it saves us about $3700 per year in fuel costs. Adding the Lucid won’t really impact our electric bill as we rarely drive the Sienna We only use it when we both need a car at the same time (not often) or we go on trips (the Leaf can’t do trips due to the battery size).