Hyundai Concept Three: This is what Hyundai’s EV4 will look like
Hyundai electric cars have long been a familiar sight on European roads. In Germany, around 28 per cent of all new Hyundais sold in the first half of 2025 were purely electric, compared to a market average of just 18 per cent. And yet the Korean company still has a big gap in their electric car range between the Inster small car, the Kona Electric and the mid-range Ioniq 5 crossover: there is currently no compact electric car from Hyundai.
Mind you, from the Hyundai brand, because across the Hyundai Motor Group, there is already one: Kia has long had the EV3 compact SUV on the market (here is our test drive report), based on the 400-volt version of the E-GMP, and the EV4, a classic compact car that has already been unveiled, is about to go into production. It has long been considered a certainty that the Hyundai brand would follow suit with an Ioniq 3.
At the IAA Mobility, the Korean company unveiled the Concept Three, the first compact electric vehicle concept from the Ioniq sub-brand. And not as a compact SUV in the style of the EV3, but as a compact car à la EV4. Hyundai aims to offer an electric car in every segment by 2027, so the Ioniq 3 will be the counterpart to the well-known i30 combustion engine model. With a length of 4.29 metres, a wheelbase of 2.72 metres, a width of 1.94 metres and a height of 1.43 metres, the Concept Three is roughly in the same size class as a VW ID.3.
Even if it has not been directly confirmed, the technical situation is clear: the 400-volt platform offers two battery sizes of 60.3 and 81.4 kWh, respectively, and a front-wheel drive with up to 160 kW. An all-wheel-drive model with an additional rear motor is at least on the cards for Kia, and it is not entirely unlikely for Hyundai either: the Concept Three has a distinctly dynamic design and, with its front splitter, large rims, diffuser and rear spoiler, is almost reminiscent of a racing car. An all-wheel-drive Ioniq 3 N is therefore already conceivable for the premiere of the concept car. Regardless of what a production version derived from this study will look like, the Hyundai will stand out strongly from the unconventionally designed Kia EV4.
The pixel lighting typical of the Ioniq models will also play an important role in the Concept Three. “The pixels are now more expressive, forming a gradient that adds depth and visual rhythm to the overall design,” is how Hyundai describes the design. The love for the pixel design even goes so far that Hyundai created a symbolic figure, Mr. Pix, which is integrated throughout the vehicle. According to Hyundai, this is intended to arouse “curiosity, joy and emotional connection.”
A potential production model could also be built in Europe, as Hyundai already manufactures the i30 for Europe, and also the Kona Electric, at its plant in Nosovice, Czech Republic. In its IAA announcement, Hyundai highlights the “transitioning European production facilities to renewable energy while extending the integration of recycled and sustainable materials into vehicle designs.” Compact electric vehicles are set to play “a crucial role in addressing urban challenges in Europe,” and the Ioniq 3 is intended to “make electrification accessible and attractive for European consumers.”
“Returning to IAA Mobility after four years away is a true milestone, and such an occasion deserves a milestone car,” said Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. “Concept THREE represents the next step in Hyundai Motor’s electrification journey. With its compact dimensions and Art of Steel design language, it embodies our vision of delivering mobility that is practical, accessible and emotionally resonant.”
This article was first published by Sebastian Schaal for electrive’s German edition.
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