Hyundai Ioniq 6 confirmed, will look like the stunning Prophecy EV concept

Hyundai has confirmed its next BEV offering after the soon-to-arrive Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be the Ioniq 6, and that the sleek Prophecy EV concept will act as the “inspiration” for what appears to be a true Tesla Model 3 fighter.

And that’s no bad thing; the Prophecy is undeniably gorgeous. From its rear-hinged rear doors to its wing-to-wing interior screen and “pixelated” light design, the concept car is a head-turner.

“We were looking at something that would inspire us for cars to come,” says Hyundai Group design chief, Luc Donckerwolke.

“We went back to the 1920s and 1930s, when cars were sculptural, streamlined and more emotional. The times when the future was optimistic, and people weren’t afraid or it. (Prophecy) is trying to incorporate those values into the shape.”

How many of those features will make their way to a production Ioniq 6 remains to be seen, but we can live in hope.

One feature that definitely won’t make production is the Prophecy’s take on a steering wheel, with the traditional tiller scrapped in favour of a twin joystick setup that wouldn’t look out of place on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise.

Hyundai describes the set-up as “refreshingly familiar and intuitive”, but we’re not so sure…

It’s also huge in the cabin, with those huge barn doors opening to reveal a spacious and well thought-out cabin that looks both modern and premium, and with huge room on offer for passengers.

The technical details are a little thin at the moment, but the brand has confirmed the Prophecy will feed the Ioniq 6, saying: “Hyundai’s next dedicated BEV will be Ioniq 6, which draws inspiration from its Prophecy EV concept. Ioniq 6 is going to offer BEV experiences with a focus on customised, eco-friendly solutions that can fit any lifestyle.”

How all of that translates the Ioniq 6 remains to be seen, but it’s coming, with Hyundai recently releasing a small statement at the bottom of a press release that said: “Following the launch of Ioniq 5, Hyundai will expand its BEV lineup with Ioniq 6, an electric sedan, and Ioniq 7, a large electric SUV.”

Both the Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 7 will be built on Hyundai’s new E-GMP architecture that was designed to take advantage of the packaging benefits of an electric car, with batteries lining the floor and electric motors that take up a lot less space than an internal combustion engine.

The E-GMP architecture also underpins the upcoming Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60.