At the 2021 Los Angeles Motor Show, the Hyundai Motor Group unleashed the SEVEN concept. Said concept previews the all-new Ioniq 7, which is expected to enter series production in July 2024.
In the first instance, Hyundai will assemble the Kia EV9-twinned crossover in South Korea. But in the first half of 2025, the Ioniq 7 and EV9 will also be made in the United States of America. Pompously dubbed Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, the new facility will also produce at least one Genesis vehicle, that vehicle being a three-row SUV à la the Hyundai Ioniq 7.
HMGMA was designed to support a yearly production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. To this effect, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution have formed a joint venture for battery production. Located next to the vehicle plant as well, the battery plant has a yearly production capacity of 30 gigawatt hours. The sole reason for assembling both vehicles and batteries in the United States of America is the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Our spy photographers have recently captured a camouflaged prototype in Sweden, with said prototype sporting a near-production exterior and interior. Although similar to the Kia EV9, the Ioniq 7's interior differs in a few notable ways. Then again, the Hyundai Motor Group isn't as lazy as Volkswagen when it comes to badge engineering.
Instead of the SEVEN concept's pillarless coach-style doors, the Ioniq 7 makes do with traditional doors. The prototype further sports a pair of side video cameras instead of traditional mirrors. Every new car and truck sold in the United States of America is required to feature outside physical mirrors for rearward vision, meaning that the digital side mirrors won't be available in the US market.
Photo: SH Proshots
Pictured on Continental winter tires mounted on multi-spoke directional aero wheels, the camouflaged prototype appears to be similar in footprint to the Hyundai Palisade. Gifted with a curved panel that integrates the digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, the Ioniq 7 sweetens the deal with a steering column shifter. We can also see a number of physical controls for the HVAC and infotainment systems, along with quite a few touch-sensitive buttons.
The camo wrap on the steering wheel's airbag cover doesn't hide a chromed emblem, but rather four dots intended into said cover. The dots in question are Morse code for H. Geeky for sure, but also understatedly elegant. When it comes to powertrain and battery choices, we don't expect the Ioniq 7 to differ too much from the EV9 and the GV90.
As you're well aware, Kia's largest electric vehicle is underpinned by the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) of the EV6 and Ioniq 5. In this application, Kia offers 76.1- and 99.8-kWh batteries and a choice between rear- and all-wheel drive.
Charging from 10 to 80 percent takes an estimated 24 minutes at 350 kW, whereas driving range tops 304 miles (489 kilometers) on the EPA's combined test cycle. Kia further claims 4.5 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers) and up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) in terms of towing capacity. With the Ioniq 7 due to enter production in July 2024, look forward to its debut in the coming months.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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