IF you think that Hyundai's forthcoming new flagship EV, the Ioniq 6, bears a passing resemblance to early Porsche sports cars, then you won't be far off the mark.

In fact, Hyundai's designers and aerodynamic engineers went back even further before coming up with slippery shape of what it calls its ‘electrified streamliner.'

Hyundai set out to create an electric vehicle with low wind resistance and a high all-electric range (AER), and its design and engineering teams looked at some of the most streamlined shapes in automotive and aircraft history, as well as in nature. As a result of their efforts, the new Ioniq 6 achieves an impressively low 0.21drag coefficient and a WLTP-rated range of more than 380 miles on a single charge.

Simon Loasby, Hyundai's Head of Styling, cites the 1947 Stout Scarab, Phantom Corsair and Saab Ursaab as major influences on Ioniq 6's design.

"Ioniq 6 started with a single curve that defines its profile and architecture - the ultimate streamlined form - and ‘Electrified Streamliner' became the pet name for the car," says Loasby.

Another key influence was the Supermarine Spitfire, a famous World War II British fighter plane. Designers applied a Spitfire-inspired winglet to the side of IONIQ 6's rear spoiler to absorb the air flow from the roof and reduce drag by minimising vortices at the spoiler's tip. This technology also effectively reduces the eddy currents generated from the side of the vehicle, helping to reduce drag.

Once Hyundai's Design team finished its initial work on Ioniq 6's exterior, they entered the wind tunnel, facing winds of up to 200 km/h generated by a 3400-HP fan, to chase another 10 per cent of efficiency with the help of Hyundai's aerodynamic engineers.

"In the EV era, air resistance is more important than any other performance," says Min Byung-hoon, Executive Vice President and Director of Vehicle Performance Development at Hyundai Motor Company. "Through their collective efforts, Hyundai's aerodynamic engineers and designers have achieved a new benchmark for Hyundai and the Ioniq dedicated EV line-up."

Hyundai dealers are taking reservations for the Ioniq 6 now with first deliveries of the ££54,995 First Edition model expected early next year. Premium and Ultimate models will follow later.