Production of the all-electric Ioniq 5 could be impacted by an ongoing dispute between Hyundai and union workers at its Ulsan plant in Korea.
Local media claims that the car manufacturer is at loggerheads with union officials regarding the number of workers who will build the Ioniq 5 and the hours that they will work. The Korean Car Blog indicates that the number of workers set to build the EV will be less than a more traditional combustion engine model.
In a statement, Hyundai stated that it is “negotiating man-hour with the union [sic]” and will look to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The disagreement comes at an inopportune moment for the car manufacturer as it looks to establish itself as a serious player in the electric vehicle space with the Ioniq 5. According to The Korean Car Blog, Hyundai has already secured 35,000 reservations for the Ioniq 5 in Korea alone.
Read Also: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Is The Company’s Most Popular New Model In Europe So Far
The car manufacturer also needed just 24 hours to receive 3,000 reservations in Europe for the Project 45 first edition model. As if that wasn’t enough, Hyundai revealed that in the week after the car’s unveiling, it received 236,000 inquiries about it from customers in Europe.
The Ioniq 5 will be sold with two available battery options. Sitting at the base of the range will be a 58 kWh pack while those seeking more range and performance can opt for the 72.6 kWh model. Entry-level models with the 58 kWh pack will feature a single electric motor driving the rear wheels and producing 167 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque while the most powerful version with the 72.6 kWh battery will have two electric motors making a combined 302 hp.
