Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is A 641 Horsepower 'Corner Rascal' EV With Fake Gears
Hyundai has now given the N treatment to its Ioniq 5 electric car and the automaker has turned into quite the monster. Its two electric motors boast a combined power output of 600 horsepower, but that can be boosted to 641 through a new mode called "N Grin Boost" that provides an additional 10 seconds of power through a two stage inverter. That allows the Ioniq 5 N to achieve a 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds, a full 0.1 seconds faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera S. For top speed, the Ioniq 5 N can reach 161 miles per hour.
The speed metrics speak for themselves, proving that the Ioniq 5 N isn't just a cool paint color and a bodykit. According to Hyundai, the Ioniq 5 N is emblematic of three different areas of what the automaker's N performance cars are all about: Corner Rascal, Racetrack Capability, and Everyday Sportscar.
Although dual motors and a lot of horsepower certainly help with straight-line speed, Hyundai wanted its first performance EV to excel at maneuvering in the bends too, so much so that Hyundai has taken to calling the car a "Corner Rascal." And it isn't just a fun name for marketing, Hyundai has gone to great lengths to strengthen the Ioniq 5 N's body over the base model with 42 additional welding points, and quite a lot more adhesives to keep the car on its best behavior when the track decides to get twisty.
Built for the track
For Racetrack Capability, Hyundai followed the time honored tradition of giving a car an unholy amount of power. It turns out, that if you give a family EV enough horsepower to make a supercar worried and all-wheel drive, you have a competently performing car on your hands. There's even a built in "N Race" setting which allows the driver to cycle through "Sprint" or "Endurance" modes that can augment power delivery and manage the battery temperature to allow for better track performance, depending on what type of race you find yourself in.
Lastly, there's Everyday Sportscar. The Ioniq 5 N wouldn't be too exciting of a prospect to your average buyer if it wasn't fun to drive on the road. EVs have the benefit of more efficient power delivery to the wheels by forgoing a conventional transmission entirely, at the sacrifice of the "feel" that many people are used to when rowing through gears. The Ioniq 5's N e-shift capability simulates an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission like you would find on the gas-engine powered Hyundai Elantra N. Plus, the car is able to pipe in "not only a futuristic EV sound but also ICE-like engine and exhaust sounds" through the speaker system if you find the normal driving soundtrack too boring.
Price has not been revealed as of yet and Hyundai has not stated its estimated range: the standard AWD Ioniq 5 is rated for 266 miles, but this more potent version will undoubtedly see that take a hit. Both numbers are expected to be available at the Ioniq 5 N's official market launch.