The 45 years in the title of this prototype are a homage to the Pony Coupé of 1974, which was not so much the first electric car but the first car ever developed by Hyundai. The 45 EV, coming to market as 'Ioniq 5', is apparently now perceived as such a milestone.

While the Ioniq and Kona models, which are well established in the e-market, are still based on an internal combustion engine platform, the 45 EV is based on the new Electric - Global Modular Platform. It will then presumably be marketed under the overarching name 'Ioniq', but starting with No. 5.

At least on partial markets in Europe, it should appear as early as 2021. Of course, not with the complete LED light strip at the front. The doors will be hinged normally. If the cameras are retained instead of the rear-view mirrors, however, that would be a bit of a surprise. After all, the car has to fight the competition in the C-segment. For that, the price of 45,000 € for upscale equipment would not be bad.

For apart from the different design, there is also an interesting concept that deviates from that of all others in this class. The special feature seems to be the possibility of fast charging at 800 volts, which promises real charging power of well over 200 kW. There are rumours of up to 232 kW.

In return, there is a slightly lower battery capacity compared to VW, for example, although it is not clear whether the above numbers are gross or net values. Quite interesting for people/families who don't drive long distances all the time. There would then really only be a break of about 20 minutes every two hours. The reward would be, for example, a lower vehicle weight for normal journeys.

The possibility of getting the electricity back out of the car in a relatively simple way is also very interesting. For those who emphasise sustainability should perhaps focus on a longer holding period or service life for such a vehicle. By then, however, grid-relieving methods of charging and recharging could have been introduced long ago, helping the owner to save money.

However, we don't think much of the solar roofs that also charge the battery. For the time being, it is still completely unclear whether the interior will feature a centre display a la Tesla, a wide display over two thirds, the entire width or even something along the lines of a head-up display. Smaller contingents of the car have in any case been announced for mid-2021.

The 800V system is undoubtedly a highlight in this class. Even now certain luxury class vehicles with their large batteries are pushing the 400V limit. Here, charging times are the most decisive criterion. Incidentally, the platform is also to be designed for other types of drive, such as fuel cells with hydrogen tanks. We will be curious about their size and accommodation.