hyundai ioniq 5 test mule

Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 EV test mule totally blends into Boston traffic

Kamil Kaluski

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Comments

Why? Why are automakers using these ridiculous camos to cover-up their test mules? I understand that they want to hide the vehicle’s lines and final production and market-specific details, but why the camo? Wouldn’t covering up those details in a plain wrap work nearly as well?

But does it even make sense to use the wrap/camo on vehicles that has already been shown? I can’t answer this. The original idea for this was to hide the vehicle on proving grounds from auto-spies with large telephoto lenses, shooting them from a long distance. This vehicle is on public roads where everyone has cameras. It feels like this something automakers have been doing for years, so they just continue to do it.

Our friend Jason Hopkins, of the 24 Hours of LeMons-inspired Citrus Racer Lounge, caught this Lancia Delta-inspired Hyundai Ionic 5 quietly burning up electrons in Boston’s Seaport District. Why in Boston? I have no idea, but this isn’t the first camo’d test mule we have spied here.

After recent speculation that Ioniq 5 was delayed coming to the market, Hyundai has issued a statement that production is set to begin in October. The the Ioniq 5s will be hitting US dealerships in early December.

About

Kamil Kaluski

Kamil Kaluski

East Coast Editor. Races crappy cars and has an unhealthy obsession with Eastern Bloc cars. Current fleet: 4Runner, Integra, Regal, Lada

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3 responses to “Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 EV test mule totally blends into Boston traffic”

  1. Neight428 Avatar
    Neight428

    Just a guess, but maybe the test mules start out in semi-secret locations far from all but the telephotoiest lenses, but eventually get released into the wild to check calibrations for all kinds of driving, and the engineers doing that work don’t care enough to peel the wrap off.

    Reply
    1. Neight428 Avatar
      Neight428

      And/or the wrap hides fit/finish details like door alignment and panel gaps that will be addressed when setting up final production, and they don’t want early hot takes on the internet complaining that they look like they were assembled by Tesla.

      Reply
  2. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    Why are they even covering it up? These cars are very popular here already. But I just figured out that they’re more expensive than a similar Tesla…so I went to check out the Kia EV6 yesterday, which comes in a lot of colours, too – a huge plus. But that one won’t arrive until oct/nov. Meh. The third one out would be the Genesis version of this one, but we don’t have the brand here at all – yet.

    Reply