Photo: Hyundai
As we wait for the i30 Fastback N and Kona N to show up, Hyundai dropped yet another bombshell on the automotive industry. According to the former BMW M engineer and current head of the N division at Hyundai, the South Korean automaker is interested in electric performance vehicles.
Speaking to Albert Biermann, Automotive News understands that electrification cannot be avoided for N cars after 2021. “We will have an EV sooner or later. It’s just a matter of timing,” he said, and Biermann is serious about this course of action.
“We have an Ioniq Electric. Were we to find a nice battery, a bigger motor and inverter, we could make an Ioniq Electric N with a nice chassis and more power,” added Biermann. “Something like that is not fully crazy.”
Considering that the Ioniq Electric comes with multi-link rear suspension boasting dual lower control arms, there’s a lot of potential in the chassis for corner carving. The 28-kWh battery and 118-horsepower electric motor are the downsides, translating to almost nine seconds to 60 miles per hour.
The Kona Electric N would be even better if Hyundai were to make it happen, but then again, it remains to be seen how the South Korean automaker will tread down this path. A dual-motor setup would be ideal for acceleration as well as traction. On the downside, two motors instead of one equals more weight, and more weight equals less range.
Considering that very few electric vehicles up to this point have been designed or modified with performance in mind, Hyundai has some thinking to do before it begins development of the first-ever electric N model. But the performance division won’t be alone in this regard.
Genesis Motors is thinking about the challenges of the next decade as well, with the luxury brand expected to launch a “long-range EV” in 2021. All we know about the newcomer is that the battery will have enough juice for at least 500 kilometers (310 miles) on a full charge.
“We have an Ioniq Electric. Were we to find a nice battery, a bigger motor and inverter, we could make an Ioniq Electric N with a nice chassis and more power,” added Biermann. “Something like that is not fully crazy.”
Considering that the Ioniq Electric comes with multi-link rear suspension boasting dual lower control arms, there’s a lot of potential in the chassis for corner carving. The 28-kWh battery and 118-horsepower electric motor are the downsides, translating to almost nine seconds to 60 miles per hour.
The Kona Electric N would be even better if Hyundai were to make it happen, but then again, it remains to be seen how the South Korean automaker will tread down this path. A dual-motor setup would be ideal for acceleration as well as traction. On the downside, two motors instead of one equals more weight, and more weight equals less range.
Considering that very few electric vehicles up to this point have been designed or modified with performance in mind, Hyundai has some thinking to do before it begins development of the first-ever electric N model. But the performance division won’t be alone in this regard.
Genesis Motors is thinking about the challenges of the next decade as well, with the luxury brand expected to launch a “long-range EV” in 2021. All we know about the newcomer is that the battery will have enough juice for at least 500 kilometers (310 miles) on a full charge.
Google News