Hyundai IONIQ 5 is attracting premium customers as EV buyers look past brand loyalty
Hyundai’s sleek IONIQ 5 electric SUV design and advanced features are attracting a new group of buyers that would usually stick with a premium brand. The success has even surprised company leaders, like Michael Cole, President, and CEO at Hyundai Europe, who claims “brand loyalty doesn’t seem to be as strong in EVs.”
After the IONIQ 5 made its official debut in 2021, Hyundai didn’t realize it had a gem on its hands that would transform the company’s entire brand image.
Although Hyundai was known as a “cheap” car brand early on, the South Korean automaker has transformed itself in the EV era with quality interior and exterior designs, state-of-the-art technology, and a focus on innovation.
By doing so, Hyundai, including the Kia and Genesis brands, grew to become the third largest automaker this past year, surpassing GM, Nissan, and Stellantis in annualy volume in 2022.
Hyundai took a “radical new approach” with its first dedicated electric vehicle, the IONIQ 5. The automaker says the IONIQ 5 was designed and built with a progressive apporoach that started with looking to its past, in particular, its first unique vehicle, the Pony.
However, what truly brings the IONIQ 5 to life is Hyundai’s Electric Globular Modular Platform (E-GMP), the company’s dedicated EV archetecture featuring up to 310 miles range (500 km), 800V ultrafast charging (18 minutes), vehicle-to-load capabilities (V2L), and more.
The sleek, bold design and functionality is attracting a new group of users that’s surprising even Hyundai’s leaders.
Hyundai IONIQ 5 is attracting premium buyers
Hyundai’s progressive approach is paying off. According to a new report from Autocar, the IONIQ 5 has been winning over customers from premium brands.
Although the electric SUV is priced above Hyundai’s typicaly range, it’s about in line with the competition, starting at $41,500, and sales have been strong.
The IONIQ 5 was followed up by the IONIQ 6 electric sedan, which was officially unveiled last July, gaining attention as one of the most aeordynamic and energy efficient EVs on the market and placing among the top two models on Fueleconomy.gov’s 2023 top 10 list with the Lucid Air.
IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 sales reached over 100,000 last year as the brand accelerated its transition to zero-emission electric vehicles. Hyundai is planning to release its larger IONIQ 7 SUV next year.
The success of the IONIQ 5 has given Hyundai confidence in releasing its larger SUV, as Cole explains:
With Ioniq 7 there was a bit of hesitation a year ago prior to Ioniq 5 about whether it was a car for Europe – but after the success of the Ioniq 5, we now 100 per cent think it’s a car that we can sell in Europe, and we will capture some premium brand customers with it.
Cole adds “brand loyalty doesn’t seem as strong in EVs” as several new electric models are pulling sales from premium brands.
Although Hyundai is attracting premium buyers, the brand isn’t planning to change its image altogether (to a premium one). Instead, the company believes it can reach an entire new customer base with its EVs.
Electrek’s Take
It doesn’t come as a surprise the Hyundai IONIQ 5 is winning over premium buyers. The modern look and functionality is enough to make anyone convert.
However, Hyundai isn’t the only brand with EVs winning over new buyers groups. Tesla blazed its own path, with two models now in the top 10 best selling cars worldwide. Ford, GM, and others have mentioned success stories with buyers converting from gas-powered cars and other brands.
The same thing is happening in China. EV startups with bold designs and advanced features are winning over customers and stealing share from the premium brands.
The fact of the matter is EVs are more fun to drive, buyers will look for the best option on the market regardless of brand.
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The first electric Range Rover is expected to hit showrooms in the next few months. With its official debut just around the corner, Range Rover’s first EV was spotted testing in Sweden. Here’s a sneak peek of the luxury electric SUV.
Range Rover’s first EV put through the paces in Sweden
Range Rover is finally gearing up to introduce its first EV later this year. Earlier this year, JLR confirmed that the Range Rover Electric already has 57,000 buyers on the waiting list.
The company claims the new model “redefines” the electric luxury SUV with an “unrivalled driving experience.” To prove it, Range Rover is putting its first EV through the paces in sub-zero conditions in Sweden.
Range Rover’s electric SUV has been through 45,000 miles of testing across frozen lakes and land tracks. The latest round allowed engineers to test their new thermal management system.
The company’s new ThermAssist thermal management system reduces heat energy consumption by up to 40% and is designed to warm the propulsion system or cabin in temperatures as low as ‑10°C (14°F).
Range Rover said it also helps optimize driving range while minimizing the impact of extreme temperatures on charging performance.
Combined with an 800V battery, the first one built in-house by JLR, the company promises the best possible performance, with optimized energy density, range, and charging times. The Range Rover’s first EV will be powered by a 117 kWh battery, consisting of 344 prismatic cells.
Built for both on- and off-road performance, the electric SUV features new additions like single-pedal driving and a switchable twin-chamber air suspension system.
Range Rover tested the single-pedal capabilities on both 28-degree and 17-degree split-mu inclines at its Arctic test facility.
Matt Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director at JLR, explained that the electric SUV maintains the brand’s signature driving experience “by marrying all the essential Range Rover elements with new and advanced technologies.”
Following its second season in Sweden, Range Rover will continue testing prototypes ahead of the official launch later this year.
After its first EV, Range Rover is already preparing another smaller electric SUV, which is expected to be the Sport model. In 2026, the company is expected to release a mid-sized electric SUV, likely the Velar.
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Volvo is launching a nearly $2 billion (SEK 18 billion) restructuring plan to drive growth and mitigate the impact of Trump’s tariffs. With the new EX30 and ES90 EVs rolling out, Volvo is taking drastic action to drive growth.
Volvo launches restructuring plan due to Trump’s tariffs
After its operating income fell by nearly 60% to SEK 1.9 billion in the first quarter, Volvo launched a cost and cash action plan.
The restructuring is worth SEK 18 billion, with most of it being realized in 2026. Volvo’s new strategy includes SEK 3 billion in variable cost actions and SEK 5 billion in indirect spend efficiencies. The additional SEK 10 billion will be added in cash actions to reduce working capital and capital expenditures this year and in 2026.
Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson said, “The automotive industry is in the middle of a very difficult period with challenges not seen before.”
With “turbulence in the market,” Samuelsson added that the company needs to “further improve our cash flow generation and lower our costs.”
To do so, Volvo is focusing on three areas: profitability, electrification, and regionalisation. Volvo is already leading the premium segment, with electrified vehicles accounting for 43% of sales in Q1. However, with new EVs launching, Volvo said more will need to be done to overcome the impact of Trump’s tariffs.
Volvo created a new region called Americas, which includes the US, Canada, and Latin America, to streamline its global operations.
In the US, the company is looking to sharpen its product line-up and plans to boost production at its Charleston, South Carolina, plant.
Earlier this month, Volvo started production of the EX30 at its Ghent plant, which will help it ramp up deliveries in the second half of 2025.
Since it will be imported into the US, Volvo is bracing to take a hit from tariffs. Even the EX90, which is made in Charleston, is heavily impacted, as most components still come from Europe.
Volvo also revealed the new ES90 last month, its new electric sedan and second EV built on the Volvo Cars Superset Tech Stack. It’s Volvo’s sixth fully electric vehicle following the EX90, EM90, EX40, EX40, and EX30.
In China, Volvo plans to adapt to the changing market with its first extended-range PHEV model, which will launch later this year.
Volvo said it remains “firm on becoming a fully electric car company.” Despite a weaker overall market, almost a fifth of the vehicles it sold in the first quarter were electric.
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In a warming world with increasingly extreme weather events, homeowners are turning to backup batteries for relief and peace of mind. But the backup only lasts only so long, and there’s a bigger problem at play: aging power grids.
Enter the virtual power plant, managed through a cloud-based system. It’s a fertile market for a number of companies as consumers look for more reliability, especially in areas prone to extreme temperatures and storms.
Base Power, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a virtual power plant and hardware company that provides battery backup to homeowners. The startup manages the batteries, and virtually controls the power that’s going in and out.
“We install our batteries on our customers’ homes. When the grid is up and running, we use those batteries to support the power grid,” said Base CEO Zach Dell. “When the grid goes out, our customers get those batteries to back up their home. We’re also able to save our customers on the order of 10 to 20% a month on their electricity bills.”
Unlike Tesla and Enphase, Base doesn’t sell home backup batteries. Rather, it rents the batteries to homeowners, providing the hardware, software, installation, operations and electricity. Essentially, it’s a battery-based energy company.
“We own and operate it,” Dell said. “We handle all the maintenance. We take care of the system like it’s ours.”
That control allows Base to manipulate how the battery is used, specifically accessing cheaper power and passing that savings on to the consumer. Base charges the battery from the grid when demand is low, typically during overnight hours. When demand is at its peak — summer evenings and winter mornings — Base sells power, discharging the battery to support the grid.
For an upfront fee of $595 and then about $19 a month, homeowners get access to reliable power, provided by Base. That power is generated by several sources, including wind, solar, natural gas and coal. About half of Base’s customers have solar, according to the company, which lowers their costs even more and allows them to sell that power back to Base.
A company spokesperson said Base compensates customers for the power they sell back, calculated as the real-time wholesale energy price plus an additional 3 cents per kilowatt hour. Buyback rates may vary depending on market conditions and other factors.
Base is now serving one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Lennar, which is also an investor. Base installs batteries during the construction process in roughly 20 Lennar outage-prone communities in Texas.
Stuart Miller, Chairman and co-CEO of Lennar, said it’s not just about making money.
“It’s, are we going to be able to improve the overall stature of the home building business, as it seeks to address the markets that are stressed and having problems?” he said. “Utilities and electricity is a part of that.”
Base has raised a total of $268 million from investors including Lennar, Thrive Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Andreesen Horowitz.
Base recently announced its first utility partnership near San Antonio. Dell said the company hopes to soon expand outside of Texas. However, the batteries are made in China, and Dell said he expects to see an impact from tariffs.
— CNBC producer Lisa Rizzolo contributed to this piece.
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