Hyundai Australia shows off locally registered Hyundai IONIQ 5 as former Prime Minster takes a spin
Hyundai Australia has shared a post on Linkedin with a locally registered Ioniq 5. We’ve covered this vehicle in an in-depth static review, but until now, the futuristic crossover hasn’t been seen on public roads without camouflage.
Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull AC met with Scott Nargar and Jun Heo from Hyundai Australia and drove the IONIQ 5 before its scheduled market introduction later this year.
We initially got very excited at the prospect of production-ready IONIQ 5’s on our shores, but It appears that this is a pre-production version that has been registered. Checking with the state roads authority, an online registration check confirms that “there is a registration restriction on this vehicle that will prevent registration transations”, and that “This registration is not transferable”.
The online search also goes on to state “no compliance plate - registration to terminate on 16-09-21” indicating that this is a vehicle in Australia for engineering purposes that will either be sent back to South Korea, or possibly used for crash testing.
We’ve covered the IONIQ 5 extensively, and it’s one of our most anticipated EV releases this year. This futuristic EV features delightfully retro styling, a spacious and flexible interior, and smart technology. There’s 800 volt charging, vehicle-to-load capabilities, and 58 and 72 kWh options.
The IONIQ 5 is scheduled to debut in Australia during the third quarter of this year.