Hyundai Taking Body-Kitted Bisimoto Ioniq Hybrid to SEMA

Hyundai is bringing a Bisimoto-tuned Ioniq hybrid to the SEMA specialty auto show later this month.

Bisimoto Engineering is more often known for over-the-top tuned cars. Cars like vintage Porsche 911s with 850 horsepower twin-turbo engines, or Dodge Vipers with massive power. Oh yeah, and a Honda Odyssey minivan with 1,000 horsepower and a six-speed manual.

But Bisimoto can do more than just big-power monsters. And thanks to Hyundai, Bisimoto is going hybrid.

Hyundai and Bisimoto Engineering turned an Ioniq hybrid into the HyperEconiq concept for the SEMA show which takes place in Las Vegas at the end of this month.

“The HyperEconiq Ioniq takes the Ioniq where we always knew it could go, without sacrificing drivability,” said Bisi Ezerioha, president of Bisimoto Engineering.

So what does a crazy tuner do to make a hypermiling Ioniq? It starts with a body kit. But not the kind you’re thinking of. There isn’t a widebody kit here, intended to hold steam-roller-sized tires. There isn’t a massive wing on the hatch, intended to keep the car planted on the track.

SEE ALSO: 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric Review: It’s Okay To Blend In

Also in the modification is a Progress Performance coilover suspension that reduces ground clearance. That will improve handling, but also reduces drag.

To save weight, the HyperEconiq has aluminum brake calipers, Recaro racing seats, and carbon fiber wheels. Hyundai calls the one-piece Carbon Revolution 19-inch wheels an OEM first.

Changes to the powertrain include Racepak OBD monitoring, a Bisimoto pulse-chamber exhaust system, and NGK sprkplugs.

The result? Hyundai said that the concept achieved over 80 miles per gallon in Bisimoto’s testing.

This isn’t the first time that Bisimoto and Hyundai have teamed up. Or even the first time they’ve teamed up on an Ioniq. Bisimoto built the roll cage for Hyundai’s record-setting Ioniq that ran nearly 158 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats last year. The two have also done a 1,040 horsepower Santa Fe and a 1,000 horsepower Genesis Coupe. This is the first for a project car that is more efficient than the model it’s based on, though.

And, it’s just another shot in the battle to show that hybrids and EVs can be exciting too. Toyota is planning Gazoo Racing performance parts for its hybrid models, Nissan is putting a Nismo badge on the Leaf, and even Chevrolet is touting the Bolt EV’s cornering prowess. Not to mention what Tesla is doing for acceleration with the Model S and Ludicrous Mode.

Convincing gasoline enthusiasts of the benefits of electrification is a big step toward putting hybrid and electric cars into the mainstream, and show cars like the HyberEconiq can be a great way to do that.

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