Hyundai has given its first sneak peek of its upcoming Ioniq 5, the performance-tuned version of the SUV, during a recent video (below) outlining the brand's electrification and performance endeavors. The Ioniq 5 N will come from Hyundai's N division that was founded in 2016 and has already served up several performance models and has been victorious in world-class races such as the WRC and Nurburgring 24 Hours.
The Family SUV Goes Sporty
Though still a hard to concept to wrap your head around for many auto enthusiasts, it is an undeniable fact that electric cars are the future and we will only see more of them. This also means that the enthusiast automotive industry will also become more and more electric. We have already seen in the likes of the Porsche Taycan and the BMW i4, for instance. Hyundai is a brand that always looks ahead, so it comes to no surprise that they are now eager to enter the EV performance market with the Ioniq 5. The Ioniq 5 has received stellar comments from countless automotive reviewers (read ours here), channels, and magazines, so it was only a matter of time until we would see an edgier version. And now that wait is coming to an end.
The Ioniq 5 Gets the "N" Treatment
In forging its future, Hyundai's N Brand is using what they are calling "rolling labs" - fully functioning R&D vehicles used for developing and verifying the high-performance technologies the brand has pioneered. Still, Hyundai N faces the same dilemma as all other manufacturers in trying to create EVs that enthusiasts will consider fun to drive. Hyundai thinks they have it figured out with what they are calling the "e-TVTC", an acronym for electric torque vectoring twin clutch. This technology matches the instant torque of the EV, and helps to reduce understeer, which is a huge issue EV's that are weighed down by their heavy electric batteries.
What makes the N brand unique compared to its performance sub-brand counterparts is, since the birth of N-line, Hyundai has envisioned electrification. Will this give the South Korean auto manufacturer an advantage in creating better EV's than other brands? We'll just have to wait and see. Also, let's keep in mind that the Hyundai N Brand is only in its sixth year and has made impressive progress with this performance division. Soon, we will see how the Ioniq 5 N stacks up.