2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric debuts sharpened look, more power

 gives its fully electric  a jolt of energy with an update for the 2020 model year. 

Between the slightly more capacious battery, faster charging speed and a slight bump in horsepower, the compact electric hatchback makes improvements across the board to remain competitive with  Nissan's  Leaf in the affordable electric car space.

Let's start with the battery pack, which steps up to 38.3 kWh of energy capacity from 28 kWh -- an increase of about 36 percent. 

The bigger battery bestows the Ioniq Electric more range.

The BEV can now cruise up to 170 miles per charge, up from 124.

A new 7.2-kW onboard charger crams electrons into the battery faster than the current model's 6.6-kW unit, so the bigger battery won't take too much longer to charge up. 

Of course, the 100-kW DC fast-charging capability means drivers can sprint up to an 80-percent charge in under an hour at a compatible station.

With a bigger energy reserve, Hyundai saw fit to bump the electric motor's output to 134 ponies -- 16 more than before -- while the 218 pound-feet of torque remains unchanged.

The only number I've noticed go down for 2020 is the combined fuel efficiency, which drops slightly to 133 miles-per-gallon equivalent, still quite efficient.

Keep scrolling for more photos of the Hyundai Ioniq Electric.