By now, everyone has seen the architecture that will underpin every Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis battery electric vehicle that’s coming as part of Hyundai Motor Group’s wider EV offensive. Over 20 vehicles will ride on this architecture with the first three arriving this year when the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia’s CV, and Genesis’ JW1 debut. You may be wondering what makes the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) unique. We’ve got a rundown explaining exactly that.
Built from the ground up to support EVs, the E-GMP architecture differs because it was never developed to accommodate an internal combustion engine. Early Hyundai Motor Group EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV and Soul EV rode on FWD-based platforms made to use electrified and non-electrified powertrains. E-GMP vehicles, on the other hand, will be RWD-based thanks to the main electric motor being mounted in the rear. Dual-motor AWD models will also be available. That adds a second electric motor up front and will come with an EV transmission disconnector to allow the vehicle to switch between RWD and AWD as needed. The modular nature of the platform will also make it easier for Hyundai Motor Group to develop a wide variety of models on E-GMP quickly, allowing it to be used on everything from sedans to SUVs.
As with most new EV platforms, E-GMP features a skateboard style layout, which puts the battery under the passenger compartment. That lowers the vehicle’s overall center of gravity and front to rear weight distribution while improving handling and high-speed stability in the process. The electric motors will be mounted low, too, in the area where a gas or diesel engine usually is placed. High-performance variants of vehicles on E-GMP will be able to sprint to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 3.5 seconds and top out at 260 km/h or 161 mph according to Hyundai.
A unique suspension configuration is also part of the E-GMP platform. It’ll use a five-link design with an integrated drive axle combining wheel bearings with the drive shaft to help put the power down to the wheels efficiently while improving ride and handling. Ultra-high-strength steel will be used for the battery support structure and will be surrounded by hot-stamped steel parts to improve rigidity and for better energy absorption during crashes.
Like the rest of the platform, the electric motors being used on EVs on the E-GMP platform can be tailored for each application. They consist of the electric motor, EV-specific transmission, and an inverter all packaged into a single compact module. These smaller, lighter motors are able to offer the same performance as a larger one thanks to the maximum speed being raised by 70 percent. The inverter power module uses silicon carbide semiconductors increases overall efficiency by 2- to 3 percent, which in turn allows the vehicle to be driven in distances that are 5 percent longer using the same battery energy. Together with a new standardized battery, the whole powertrain can be tuned to offer the right mix of performance and driving range based on the type of vehicle or a customer’s needs. Depending on the vehicle, the battery cells can be packed in different quantities.
Charging a Hyundai Motor Group vehicle underpinned by the E-GMP architecture will be a different experience. You can charge at 400V without needing additional components or adapters and the system will even support 800V where it’s available. Hyundai has patented a technology that uses the motor and inverter to boost charging to 800V while still keeping it stable and able to accommodate existing and newer chargers. In the WLTP cycle, a fully charged E-GMP-based EV can travel over 500 km or 310 miles on a single charge. Thanks to its new charging components, it can recharge back to 80 percent in 18 minutes or add 100 km or 62 miles every five minutes. The battery’s two-way charging capability will also allow an E-GMP-based vehicle to operate appliances using a 110/220-volt outlet or charge another EV. This vehicle-to-load function can supply 3.5 kW of power, which Hyundai says is enough to operate a mid-sized air conditioner or a 55-inch TV for roughly 24 hours.
Interior packaging will be a highlight thanks to the E-GMP architecture’s versatility. A flat floor allows for a multitude of interior configurations, enabling Hyundai Motor Group to tailor each vehicle according to its designated mission. The seats and center console can be moved around, allowing for more flexibility. Together with the platform’s long wheelbase, space shouldn’t be at a premium in any car underpinned by the E-GMP platform.
The E-GMP platform is significant because it gives Hyundai Motor Group one versatile platform to use for a broad range of EVs. Not only will this make development quicker, the platform’s modularity and standardized powertrain design should help cut costs. At the same time, the new platform should be flexible enough that the company will be using it for a long time.
Hyundai will be the first brand to use the E-GMP platform when it launches the Ioniq 5 next month. The first model in the Ioniq sub brand is a compact crossover based closely on the 45 Concept and is expected to be offered with either a 58- or 73-kWh battery options, the latter of which is good for around 341 miles per charge on the WLTP cycle. A 313-hp dual-motor variant of the Ioniq 5 is also on the cards.
Following the Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be Kia’s first dedicated EV, a crossover code-named CV. The only details known about it beyond the platform it’ll be using is that it’ll be performance-oriented and get styling cues from the Imagine and Futuron concepts. Genesis’ first EV, code-named JW1, will be taking cues from the Mint concept and will also be a crossover just like its Hyundai and Kia counterparts. Expect the JW1 to get to be the last of the trio to debut this year and sport the same stylish interiors as other Genesis vehicle complete with its own special theme to keep it from looking like a shrunken version of a GV80 or GV70’s cabin.
By 2025, expect Hyundai to add the Ioniq 6 sedan and Ioniq 7 large SUV to its lineup. Kia, on the other hand, will add another eight models in total, two more crossovers, two sedans, and four commercial vehicles including a personal pod. Genesis should follow with electrified versions of its core models, which will be dubbed eG80, eGV70 and eGV80.
