Hyundai just unveiled its second-ever performance EV, the Ioniq 6 N, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England. The new variant carries over a lot of what made the Ioniq 5 N so appealing, while adding a little more range and a little more giddyap.
But more importantly is a suite of features designed to mimic the best parts about high-performance vehicles, like shifting, engine noise, and drifting. Hyundai recognizes that just because it’s swapped the roaring 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine with twin electric motors doesn’t mean it needs to leave behind all the hair-raising, goosebump-inducing sensations of steering an insanely powerful sedan around a racetrack.
Based on Hyundai’s RN22e concept, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N uses the same powertrain as the Ioniq 5 N. That includes the same 84kWh battery pack, which is Hyundai’s fourth-generation, and the same chassis, cooling system, and motors. Still, Hyundai says the Ioniq 6 N can drive up to 291 miles (469 kilometers) on the WLTP cycle, which is 13 miles (21 km) more than the Ioniq 5 N. The EPA estimates will be released later, but it seems likely to exceed the Ioniq 5 N’s 221 mile EPA-rated range.
The twin motors, one on each axle, can put out a combined 641 horsepower (478 kW) of power and 568 foot-pounds of torque while using the N Grin Boost function, which lasts about 10 seconds. After that, the total horsepower falls to 601 (448 kW) and 546 ft-lb of torque.
The Ioniq 6 N’s acceleration is sure to shove you back in your seat, with a 0-62 mph time of 3.2 seconds when N Launch Control is engaged. That’s a bit quicker than the Ioniq 5 N’s 0-62 mph time of 3.25 seconds. And the Ioniq 6 N’s speed tops out at 160 mph (257 kilometers per hour).
Charging the 84kWh battery is sure to be a speedy affair, thanks to the 800-volt architecture of Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform. When fast charging at speeds of up to 350 kW, the Ioniq 6 N can go from 0 to 80 percent in about 18 minutes, the company says.
Hyundai also says that its battery conditioning feature should improve the performance and lifespan of the battery, while its optimized thermal management control and an increased capacity in the coolant heater significantly reduce the conditioning time.
A little more range and a little more giddyap
The N group also added drift features, a button on the steering wheel that adds a 10-second boost of power and torque, launch control, race modes, and specialized battery conditioning for various modes to ensure that you’re getting all the power you can from the battery and motors.
And Hyundai had a few more tricks up its sleeve with the addition of N e-Shift, which simulates an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The shift feature is now “fully compatible” with the rest of the automaker’s suite of performance features, including N Launch Control, N Drift Optimizer, N Grin Boost, and N Torque Distribution. (Trust me, I get no pleasure from reporting these thoroughly silly brand names.) And its Ambient Light Shift N feature will sync different light shades to shift points, so that every gear shift is seen as well as felt.
Automotive fakery is nothing new. But it’s certainly getting more prominence in the EV era, with a whole galaxy of faux sounds piped through external speakers and simulated gear shifting. Hyundai is just the latest automaker to dip its toes into these treacherous waters.
No word yet on price, though I think it’s safe to assume it will slot way under luxury performance EVs like the Lucid Air Sapphire, Audi RS e-tron, and Porsche Taycan. The base Ioniq 6 starts at $37,850, while the Ioniq 5 N starts at $67,800 — so probably somewhere in between.
