It was the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5's turn to undergo the InsideEVs 70-mph highway range test and we took the opportunity to do the test twice.
Kyle Conner had an all-wheel-drive Ioniq 5 SEL in Colorado and I had an all-wheel-drive Limited in New Jersey, nearly at the same time, and we both range tested the vehicles using the same methodology.
The biggest difference between the two vehicles as far as the range tests are concerned is the wheels. The Limited that I drive has 20" wheels fitted with 255/45R20 Michelin Primacy Tour All-Season tires. Kyle's SEL came with 19" wheels and 235/55R19 Michelin Primacy All-Season tires. It's interesting that neither car cam with the new Michelin EV-specific tires that Kyle and I expected to see on the cars.
As always, we set the tires to the manufacturer's recommended pressure right before the test. We also put the vehicles in the most efficient drive mode (ECO) that still allows for heating and cooling and we set it to 68 degrees and the lowest fan setting that will warm or cool the cabin up to a comfortable temperature.
We shut off any unnecessary power draws and in the case of the Ioniq 5, that meant disabling the battery warming feature that heats the battery so it can accept more power when DC fast charging.
We also check the speedometer to GPS and in this case, the speedometer was correct at 70-mph. We then check our wind apps to see what, if any wind is currently in the area that could affect the test.
The one thing we really can't control is the ambient temperature. Kyle's test was in warmer conditions, and when he began his drive it was 52° F (11° C). When I started out it was 20° F (-6.66° C). When Kyle ended his test it was about 30° F (-1° C) and the temperature in New Jersey where I did the test had warmed up to 38° F (3.3° C).
Kyle managed to squeeze out 227 miles from his car, but I was only able to drive my Ioniq 5 195 miles. The larger tires combined with the colder temperatures really had a big effect on the Ioniq 5's range. Unfortunately, that is consistent with what we've been hearing from our colleagues in Europe where the Ioniq 5 has been on sale for a few months already.
| Segment Of The Test | Efficiency | Miles Driven | Total Miles |
| 100% to 75% | 2.6 mi/kWh | 53 miles | 53 miles |
| 75% to 50% | 2.7 mi/kWh | 50 miles | 103 miles |
| 50% to 25% | 2.7 mi/kWh | 50 miles | 153 miles |
| 25% to 0% | 2.7 mi/kWh | 42 miles | 195 miles |
One interesting note to make is that in the initial quarter of my test, from 100% to 75%, the Ioniq 5 went the furthest of any section, yet the in-car display showed it had lower efficiency than the other three quarters. We suspect it may be that the heating system (although the vehicle did have a heat-pump system) worked the hardest when we began the test to get the cabin warm. It then needed less energy to maintain the temperature, and the ambient temperature also rose as the tent went on.
Check out the complete library of InsideEVs 70-mph range tests
Both the AWD SEL on the 19" wheels and the AWD Limited on the 20's are EPA range rated at 256 miles per charge. That seems a little odd to us, given we usually observe longer driving range on EVs with smaller wheel options. However, it may be that Hyundai simply choose not to run a separate test for the 19" wheels, which would have probably received a slightly longer driving range.
That would be Hyundai's decision to make, but they would have to post the EPA-rated range for the least efficient tire/wheel package if they choose not to run separate tests for all tire & wheel combinations. We reached out to Hyundai for EPA range clarification regarding tire and wheel packages and will update the article once we get an answer.
About our 70-mph range tests
We want to make it clear our range tests aren't perfect. There are variables simply out of our control like wind, traffic, and weather. However, we do our best to control what we can. We always set the tires to the manufacturer's recommended pressure, we crosscheck the speedometer with a GPS for accuracy, we DC fast charge up to 100 percent and enter the highway either immediately or within a couple of miles. Then we drive at a constant 70 mph and in long loops so we end up either where we started, or very close by.
Driving conditions, temperature, and topography will affect an EVs driving range and our 70-mph range tests serve only as a guideline of approximately what you should expect if you drive the same EV under similar conditions.
