Previewed by the 45 EV concept in September 2019 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Ioniq 5 isn't merely the first series-production vehicle based on Hyundai's E-GMP electric vehicle architecture. It's also a resounding commercial success despite the vexing lack of a rear wiper. That's going to change for the 2024 model year, though, beginning with the first high-performance electric vehicle of the Seoul-based automotive giant.
The first EV to bear the N moniker, the Ioniq 5 N was teased in March 2023 during winter testing with the rear wiper that every single Ioniq 5 owner wants. Ashley Andrew, the managing director at Hyundai UK, confirmed that Goodwood's Festival of Speed is where Hyundai will take the veils off their electric thriller.
In preparation for the Festival of Speed, which is taking place at the Duke of Richmond's estate in West Sussex in the period between July 13 and July 16, the South Korean automaker is testing the Ioniq 5 N on the racetrack. Not any ol' circuit, but the most challenging track of them all because Hyundai operates a test center at the Nurburgring. The jacked-up hatchback was also developed in Opel's hometown of Russelsheim, where Hyundai's European Technical Center is located.
The N in Ioniq 5 N is a not-so-subtle nod to the Namyang research & development center in South Korea, as well as a cheeky nod to the BMW M division where N division mastermind Albert Biermann used to work before getting snatched by Hyundai. Pictured with production-spec bodywork, the prototypes in the video below all feature a more aggressive front bumper than lesser variants of the compact-sized utility vehicle.
We further notice a few aero-driven changes operated on said bumper, as well as large air ducts for improved cooling. Equipped with sticky rubber shoes, the prototypes further stand out from non-N variants of the Ioniq 5 by means of pumped-out wheel arches. We can't tell if those are body panels or extensions of the wheel arches, but chances are it's the latter. The flared wheel arches further sports openings in front of the wheels, likely for aerodynamic or cooling purposes. Or both…
Filmed by the carparazzo known as Automotive Mike, every single prototype features a rear wiper. An electronic limited-slip differential has been confirmed as being standard, plus a system dubbed N Drift Optimizer. The system is – rather evidently – designed to make drifting that much easier. As to how much power is generated by the Ioniq 5 N's dual-motor setup, Biermann confirmed 580 to 620 metric ponies.
Let's meet in the middle and say 600 horsepower is the final rating on full song. Torque remains a mystery, though, at least for the time being. The nearest equivalent to the Ioniq 5 N is the EV6 GT from sister brand Kia, which has 576 hp and 545 lb-ft (739 Nm).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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