No longer content with just being competitive, Hyundai has rightly become confident enough in its products to do its own thing aesthetically, and especially with electric vehicles. In an increasingly SUV-shaped plug-in market, the Ioniq 6 is an ultra-aerodynamic saloon with the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 in its sights. It's the result of a development programme focused on maximising efficiency and range, and an interesting option for sustainability-minded fleets. 

This is a deceptively large car; almost identical in length, width and height to the Volkswagen Arteon and sharing its modular EV-only platform with the SUV-like Ioniq 5. Hyundai hasn't confirmed the UK line-up yet, but there are two battery options (53kWh and 77.4kWh) each with a motor at the rear axle, and an optional front motor for the larger pack. The majority of Ioniq 5 customers have opted for the longest range, and there's no reason this won't follow suit. Rival pricing suggests 77kWh versions will start at around £45,000, or £50,000 with the all-wheel drive system. 

The tapered silhouette - with its flat under-floor panels, flush door handles and optional camera-based side mirrors - makes much better use of the otherwise unmodified powertrain. An Ioniq 5 with the 77kWh battery option, two-wheel drive and 20-inch wheels travels roughly 3.4 miles per kilowatt-hour with a range of 295 miles. That compares to 3.9MPkWh and 339 miles of range in the Ioniq 6, or roughly a 12% reduction in charging bills. With the 53kWh battery and 18-inch wheels, and it's more efficient than the much smaller Kona Electric crossover. 

We tested the car with the long-range battery, dual-motor powertrain and 20in wheels that UK customers are most likely to opt for. It's the most potent model in the line-up, producing 325hp and reaching 62mph in 5.1 seconds from rest, but feels more of a long-distance cruiser than a sports saloon. There's a useful surge of power for overtaking, especially in the sportiest drive modes selected on the steering wheel's thumb control, but it's metered out smoothly. The large wheels do little to blunt the ride quality, its low-slung battery offers confident handling, and the aerodynamically and acoustically optimised body means it's almost silent at motorway speeds.

The 228hp rear-wheel drive version is arguably a better fit for fleets, but drivers who need the extra traction don't lose much in terms of efficiency. There are four stages of progressively more aggressive regenerative braking to capture otherwise-wasted energy, though the car can do this automatically too, and the front motor can decouple itself from the wheels to reduce drag. Our test car returned almost 4.0MPkWh over a mix of roads and driving modes with the climate control switched on, which is more efficient than a lot of smaller EVs. Gentle drivers should be able to coax even more out of it.

Regardless of driving style, the range available here means comfort breaks will be more frequent than charge stops. The Ioniq 6 will charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes on the fastest 350kW chargepoints, which equates to more than 200 miles of extra range. It charges quickly enough that you'll barely have time to plug a laptop into the power outlet beneath the rear seats, or use the flat centre console as a desk, but it's good to know Hyundai has considered driver productivity while topping up.