The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a bold electric vehicle from the South Korean brand. Its unique styling lets it stand out from other EVs on the road, and it looks like Hyundai is going to add even more variety to the model's lineup with a higher-performance variant. New spy shots have captured the camouflaged car testing near the Nurburgring race track, which could be hiding a sportier design underneath the coverings.
The Ioniq 5 N's bold camouflage and branding distract from Hyundai's subtle changes to the car. It sits lower than the non-N EV, and Hyundai installs low-profile tires at all four corners. However, any significant styling changes remain hidden, though we doubt there'll be many. The company could be hiding new, more aggressive bumpers behind the camo. Hyundai will likely add N branding inside and out to help further differentiate it while installing unique sport seats and a sporty steering wheel.
Gallery: New Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Spy Shots
Hyundai hasn't announced what powertrain will propel the five-door, but it could adopt the one from the Kia EV6 GT. In the Kia, the dual-motor configuration, which gives the crossover all-wheel-drive, produces 577 horsepower (430 kilowatts) and 546 pound-feet (740 Newton-meters) of torque. It's enough to propel the GT to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour in 3.5 seconds. That's on par with supercars.
The platform underpinning the Ioniq 5, the E-GMP, can deliver up to 600 hp (447 kW), so Hyundai could make the 5 N a tad more unique with a higher output rating. The automaker could make other changes to the Ioniq 5 to improve its handling and on-road performance with all that extra power on tap.
We first saw the beefed-up EV back in September, but we have no indication when Hyundai will reveal it. We don't even know if it'll receive the N badge. However, Hyundai is clearly working on some sort of performance EV. The camouflage now sporting some "Never just drive" branding suggests a debut date is fast approaching, but we'll have to wait for Hyundai to make an official announcement.
