Rear-wheel-drive sedan scores a rare win in a segment dominated for years by Tesla.
- 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Long Range RWD receives 361-mile range rating from the EPA, narrowly upstaging the Tesla Model 3 Long Range with its 358-mile rating.
- Hyundai’s dual-motor, AWD version of the Ioniq 6 receives a 316-mile rating, with both versions powered by a 77.4-kWh battery.
- The Ioniq 6 goes on sale this spring with a number of trims and the larger battery, ahead of the arrival of a smaller battery option down the road.
When we first saw the Hyundai Ioniq 6, we suspected it would make a run at the title of the longest-ranged EV in its segment. The streamlined design, inspired in part by cars of the 1930s, was engineered with aerodynamic efficiency in mind and is easily one of the most avant-garde shapes we’ve seen in years.
The sedan’s official EPA rating, released this week, confirmed our suspicions with the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE Long Range receiving a 361-mile rating. That’s enough for the midsize sedan, powered by a 77.4-kWh battery like a number of its E-GMP platform siblings, to narrowly beat the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD, which is rated by the EPA at 358 miles.
Among other things, Tesla’s own RWD model is not the longest-ranged flavor of the Model 3, as the RWD model is rated at 272 miles, landing 89 miles short of the RWD Ioniq 6. So this reflects the different approaches to model positioning, as the longest-ranged Tesla Model 3 is a dual-motor variant.
Hyundai’s AWD version, meanwhile, is rated at 316 miles—a significant step down in range from its RWD counterpart. Detailed pricing isn’t available from Hyundai yet for the Ioniq 6, but it should be the most affordable of the bunch when the 77.4-kWh version launches this spring, to be followed later on by a 53-kWh variant.
When it comes to the 361-mile range, wheel choice matters as much as the 0.22 drag coefficient, and it’s the 18-inch wheels that will get buyers that rating. Those who opt for 20-inch rims in the Limited and SEL flavors of the RWD version will have to live with 305-mile ratings—not an insignificant drop. That’s right: This is one of those rare times when paying attention to wheel size will yield serious dividends. Go for 20-inch wheels in the AWD versions of the SEL and Limited trims, and the range plummets further to 270 miles.
Speaking of Hyundai’s E-GMP platform siblings, the two smaller hatches from Kia and Hyundai don’t come all that close to the Ioniq 6 SE in terms of range. The Kia EV6, for instance, can only promise a 310-mile EPA rating equipped with the same 77.4-kWh battery. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 lands a bit further south with a 303-mile maximum rating, once again with the 77.4-kWh battery and a single-motor, RWD layout.
If you value range and don’t need the hatchback/crossover bodystyle, it could be worth waiting a few more weeks for the Ioniq 6 sedan.
Jay Ramey Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum.
Keyword: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Beats Tesla Model 3 in EPA Range