How Hyundai’s 35-year investment in EVs led to the ELEXIO The Hyundai ELEXIO has arrived in Australia, and it’s more than just a modern, sophisticated family EV. It’s also the latest expression of more than 35 years of Hyundai research, design and development into electric vehicles. Starting with their early experiments in the 1990s with the Sonata Electric Vehicle, followed by the fuel cell electric SANTA FEs in the noughties, the original IONIQ brought to Australia in 2018 and the critically acclaimed new-generation IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6, Hyundai is one of the first manufacturers to start mass-producing alternative powertrain vehicles beyond internal combustion. The ELEXIO takes that development process to the next level, as it marks the next step in Hyundai’s EV development process.. “We’re proud to introduce ELEXIO to our multi-award-winning Hyundai hybrid and electric SUV line-up,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Operating Officer, Gavin Donaldson. “Designed for modern Australian families, ELEXIO delivers the ideal balance of size, space, efficiency and outstanding value,” he said. “It also reflects Hyundai Motor Company’s 35-year commitment to developing eco-friendly electric vehicles and advancing intelligent mobility solutions that make every day driving smarter, cleaner and more rewarding.” Hyundai’s first global foray into EVs came in 1991, just five years after it launched in Australia. That year it unveiled the Sonata Electric Vehicle in South Korea. While based on the Y2 generation of that well-known family sedan sold in Australia with orthodox four-cylinder and V6 petrol engines, the EV concept was powered by lead acid batteries. That’s a far cry from today’s sophisticated chemistries that feature in Hyundai EVs, including the ELEXIO’s incredibly efficient lithium ion battery pack. An EV based on the popular Excel small car followed, with a range of just 100km, then came a second electrified Sonata with a