Since Hyundai launched the Ioniq 6 in June 2022, people have imagined a performance N variant. One month later, the Korean carmaker obliged with the RN22e prototype, an extreme take on the performance EV theme. The Ioniq 6 N launch is definitely happening, as our photographers caught a prototype testing around the Nürburgring race track, where it is honing its racing skills.
As emission regulations tighten around the globe, carmakers find it harder to sell performance ICE models. Powerful combustion engines have remained the privilege of luxury carmakers. In the lower echelons of the market, carmakers have tried to promote electric vehicles as a worthy alternative. However, this might be more difficult than people imagined.
Not because EVs lack the power needed for exhilarating performance, but maybe because they don't. Almost all electric models, especially Teslas, rely on a ridiculous amount of power. This makes producing an electric car to rule them all even more difficult. But that is just one side of the problem. The other one is that electric vehicles are heavy chunks of plastic and metal. Just like elephants, they might be powerful but far from agile. Teaching an elephant to dance on a racetrack might be the hardest.
And yet, carmakers have pushed the boundaries of what can be done in this area. The Tesla Model S Plaid showed that a heavy electric car can be very good even on a demanding racetrack like the Nürburgring. Hyundai is another carmaker that is in the process of defying the laws of physics with its N lineup. Not the combustion sportscars like Elantra N, which will never see a successor. I'm talking about the electric N models, like the Ioniq 5 N, launched in July 2023.
The Korean carmaker is working on a similar model based on the Ioniq 6 sedan. With a more aerodynamic silhouette, the Ioniq 6 is the ideal candidate for an N model. As our photographers discovered around Nürburgring, the Korean carmaker is already busy testing the Ioniq 6 N, with an official launch expected next year. Since Ioniq 6 and Ioniq 5 have many things in common, we expect this to also translate to the N variants.
The Ioniq 6 N will squeeze even more performance from the E-GMP architecture, with some believing that Hyundai could boost power beyond the 600-horsepower of the Ioniq 5 N. The crossover can go up to 641 horsepower with the N Grin Boost activated, which means the Ioniq 6 N will have to top that. However, even if it retains the same drivetrain, it will likely improve on the 0-60 acceleration time, which is 3.2 seconds in the case of the Ioniq 5 N. Expect it to drop closer to the 3.0-second mark to threaten the Model 3 Performance, which is rumored to need 2.9 with the imminent refresh.
The Ioniq 6 N prototype sports a modified ducktail spoiler and camouflaged front and rear bumpers. The huge red brake calipers clearly indicate that this is no regular Ioniq 6. The body is likely a mule, so don't expect to see new design details. The tracks are about 50 mm (20 inches) wider than the regular model, hence the alterations to the wheel arches. The large 20-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tire (275/35 R20 visible on the rear axle) are another sign of the performance variant.
After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions. Full profile
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