Hyundai will soon launch its first performance electric vehicle. The Ioniq 5 N will debut next year and will become the most powerful and capable production EV from the South Korean automaker. Will it be any good on the track? We don’t know yet but we know the automaker is making some solid development efforts on one of the most legendary race tracks around the world.
We have a new video coming from the Nurburgring in Germany where a team of Hyundai test drivers and engineers is currently evaluating the Ioniq 5 N. We can’t tell this prototype’s speed and time around the circuit but it looks quite composed around the corners despite its size and weight.
Gallery: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Nurburgring Spy Photos
There is still full body camouflage likely hiding aerodynamic tweaks compared to the regular electric hatchback. From previous trial cars, we know these should include new corner vents and a larger center intake creating a more aggressively-looking front fascia. The same design language continues at the back and if you are wondering how all of this could translate into the final product, our exclusive rendering of the Ioniq 5 N gives a very good preview of the performance EV.
Speaking of performance, much has been said about the powertrain of the electric hot hatch so far, though nothing has been confirmed by the automaker. Hyundai’s executive technical advisor Albert Biermann said the Ioniq 5 N will have around 600 horsepower (447 kilowatts) and this could mean it would share its hardware with the Kia EV6 GT. That vehicle is based on the same E-GMP architecture and has a dual-motor electric powertrain with a peak output of 576 horsepower (420 kilowatts).
Larger brakes, bigger tires, suspension modifications, and a drift mode – these are just some of the upgrades the N-branded electric vehicles will get compared to the regular Ioniq 5. Not all of the details are known yet but we expect to have more information to share with you as the official debut approaches at some point next year.
