Hyundai N’s first all-electric model, the Ioniq 5 N, is only two and a half months away, with the world debut scheduled to take place in July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK.
Naturally, the Korean automaker is applying the finishing touches on its all-electric performance crossover, and what better place for that than the Nürburgring Nordschleife?
A Hyundai Ioniq 5 N prototype has been spotted at the ‘Ring earlier this week during the latest Industry Pool session, and Automotive Mike was there to catch it on video.
Given its design and low ground clearance, the Ioniq 5 N looks like a big hot hatch tackling the Green Hell’s tricky corners, and that’s actually a compliment. The performance EV seems planted in corners, exhibiting little body roll and looking composed and very much in control in all situations.
Even though there’s no engine sound coming from the Ioniq 5 N, the EV is exciting to watch as it attacks the Nordschleife, and it is clear that the driver was giving it the beans in some instances judging by the tire screeching noise.
There’s not much to say about the design since we’ve seen prototypes wearing a full body camouflage before, but it’s clear the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N will look sportier and more aggressive than regular models.
Expect a beefier body kit like in the above renderings with more dynamic-looking bumpers featuring a bigger lower grille at the front and a chunky diffuser at the rear, as well as sharper side skirts, larger wheels, and a massive new roof spoiler integrating a triangular third brake light.
Hyundai continues to keep its cards close to the chest when it comes to the Ioniq 5 N’s powertrain, but given that it will deliver significantly more power than lesser variants, it’s likely to feature the larger battery pack with a 77.4-kilowatt-hour capacity.
Hyundai has already confirmed the Ioniq 5 N will have a dual-motor powertrain with all-wheel drive capability, making it the N division’s first AWD model. How much power are we talking, though?
The Hyundai Ioniq 6-based RN22e rolling laboratory unveiled last year may provide some clues about what we can expect from the Ioniq 5 N. The RN22e features a 160-kilowatt (215-horsepower) front motor and a 270-kW (362-hp) rear motor for a total of 430 kW (577 horsepower) – just like the Kia EV6 GT.
Factor in significant upgrades to the suspension and brakes, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 should be one of the most rewarding and fun to drive EVs on the market.
We should expect no less from a vehicle featuring N Drift Optimizer, a system that integrates front and rear torque distribution, torque rate, suspension stiffness, steering effort and the e-LSD (electronic-Limited Slip Differential) to create a driving mode dedicated for drifting.
