SEOUL -- Hyundai Motor has unveiled its very first high-performance electric vehicle model called "IONIQ 5 N," which is the beefed-up version of the IONIQ 5 released in 2021. The electric sport utility vehicle boasts a style of everyday sportscar while having the capability to race on professional motor tracks.
Hyundai's N brand was first launched in 2015 to benchmark other high-performance brands such as AMG of Mercedes Benz, M of BMW and RS of Audi. Currently, a total of five N models including IONIQ 5 N have been released. A total of 10 N Line models, which are vehicles with a slight touch of racing spirit, were also released.
Hyundai said in a statement that the new race-performance EV represents the carmaker's long-standing legacy of offering high-quality mobility alongside driver-focused N models. "Hyundai N spearheads the technological leadership of Hyundai Motor Company," Hyundai Motor Company CEO Chang Jae-hoon said, adding that IONIQ 5 N will be a game changer for high-performance EVs.
IONIQ 5 N with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system offers superb handling and cornering abilities that can help drivers easily manage the weight balance and control of the vehicle when cornering. IONIQ 5 N also has a "drift mode" which drivers can use to maintain the drift angle by balancing multiple vehicle controls responding to real-time inputs. Drift is a cornering technique in which a driver deliberately puts rear wheels into a wheelspin state and loses grip. While the rear wheels have lesser grip, the car slides in and out of a corner as it smoothly drifts across a sand dune.
Other features of IONIQ 5 N include smart torque control, and a boost system called "N Grin Boost" that pushes the EV's electric motors to spin up to 21,000 rotations per minute providing 478 kilowatts and 650 horsepower. The battery has a thermal management system to resist performance degradation. The monster EV comes with specially tuned brakes that are constructed with new lightweight materials and optimized airflow for improved cooling efficiency.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
