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Hyundai is set to reveal an electric alternative to the Bayon, likely badged Ioniq 2, as it pushes to expand its EV line-up.

Understood by Autocar to be twinned with sibling brand Kia’s incoming EV2, it will plug the gap between the Inster and Kona Electric.

Pictures of the car testing this week confirm that it will be close in size to the combustion-powered Bayon, positioning it as a rival to the likes of the Renault 4 and Volvo EX30.

It will be revealed “in the next few months”, new Europe CEO Xavier Martinet told Autocar in June, which suggests that it is likely to be unveiled at the Munich motor show in September.

Hyundai confirmed the car will go on sale in the third quarter of 2026, so deliveries could begin as soon as next July. It is understood that Kia’s EV2, previewed by the EV2 concept, will arrive a few months before it.

“We are very much involved with the electrification of our line-up and to increase our electrified mix in the coming years,” said Martinet.

Like the EV2, the car will be based on the same scalable E-GMP platform that is used by nearly all EVs in the Hyundai Motor Group, which comprises Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.

It's therefore likely to get a similar set-up to the slightly larger Kia EV3, which is offered with either a 58.3kWh or an 81.4kWh battery pack for ranges of 267 and 372 miles respectively. All versions of the EV3 are powered by a single electric motor that sends 201bhp and 209lb ft to the front wheels.

Inside, the new electric car will bring a “step change” in usability for Hyundai. This includes a new infotainment system that, Autocar has been told, will enable elements such as ambient lighting and noise to alter according to driving modes or chosen style. Like the incoming EV2, the new Hyundai is also expected to get a combined instrument and infotainment display set-up that spans roughly half the width of the dashboard.

Pricing for the new crossover is likely to be close to that of the EV2, at around £25,000.

When it arrives next year, it will be the sixth electric car in Hyundai’s growing EV line-up, following the Ioniq 9 flagship that is due to hit UK roads in the coming months.

DS has hinted at introducing performance-focused models in a bid to ramp up its premium credentials.

Despite racing in Formula E for more than a decade and creating some racy concept cars, DS has yet to develop a fully fledged performance model.

However, speaking at the recent London ePrix, new CEO Xavier Peugeot told Autocar he was thinking about bringing the idea to fruition.

“There is no closed debate, so why not?” he said. “It might be consistent for us to think about even more powerful versions of our models, of our engines, that would align with our commitment in Formula E.”

“I believe today that being committed to racing cars is important for DS. It brings dynamism, it brings energy, it brings the capacity to stimulate road cars, capacity to stimulate engineers, capacity to get the benefit of the evolutionary technology in our everyday cars and therefore to have real competitive advantages.”

The company has previously hinted at the potential for a dedicated performance car with its 805bhp E-Tense concept in 2022.

Speaking more broadly, he said that another advantage of DS being in Formula E is that the series “continues to fascinate younger audiences” and so opens the brand up to a younger demographic.

“It's coherent with our electric messages,” he added. “There are lots of benefits. To me, the keyword is 'acceleration'. It accelerates everything.”

Peugeot acknowledged that DS's aim for youth could be supported by the addition of a performance flagship in the future.

DS, now 11 years old, had been light on new products until earlier this year, when the new No8 flagship was launched and the DS 4 was heavily updated (and renamed No4).

No sales volume targets have been set for the No8, said Peugeot, arguing that volumes weren't the only metric for success.

“Our positioning is a premium one,” said Peugeot. “The German brands have been established for years, for decades, even in the case of BMW, Audi and Mercedes. But we also see that there are new players coming up. We see Polestar, we see this kind of new brand, which just reinforces the fact that premium in Europe is a key lever.

“The premium market is a quarter of the sales volumes [in the European market] but it makes up 40% of the profits. It’s relevant for a group like ours [Stellantis] to have a premium brand like DS.”

In June, design director Thierry Métroz claimed DS would aim even higher in the future, mentioning Rolls-Royce and Bentley levels of quality. But Peugeot quashed these ideas, saying that while inspiration could be drawn from those ultra-luxury brands, “our position is a premium one”.