Hyundai presents the Ioniq 5 N performance model

Hyundai has unveiled the performance version of its Ioniq 5 electric model at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. When the Ioniq 5 N is launched, presumably in the second quarter of 2024, the powertrain will not be the expected 1:1 copy of the Kia EV6.

The basic concept of the Ioniq 5 N and the EV6 GT is the same: both E-GMP models rely on a two-motor all-wheel drive and an 800-volt battery. For the rear electric motor, both vehicles rely on a two-stage inverter with increased energy efficiency coming from the SiC semiconductors sourced from Onsemi for this.

While the EV6 GT comes to 430 kW of power, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N offers 448 kW of system power, with ‘N Grin Boost’ activated, the maximum power rises to 478 kW. A new battery with a capacity of 84 kWh is installed for the energy supply. An optimised battery thermal management system is based on an enlarged cooling surface. Hyundai will only announce the range of the Ioniq 5 N with the market launch.

Hyundai does not mention the new battery in the announcement. It is therefore not known whether the difference to the previous 77.4 kWh battery is achieved by additional modules or a modified cell chemistry with higher energy density. There is also no information on charging performance and duration, but even the top model is unlikely to deviate from the known 18-minute charging time.

For this, Hyundai goes into detail about the further developed thermal management, which is based on an enlarged cooling surface and is supposed to “significantly” improve the engine and battery cooling. “The Ioniq 5 N is particularly resistant to heat-induced loss of power,” the South Korean company writes. This was not always the case. For the performance model, there is a special feature in thermal management: before driving, the driver can use battery preconditioning to bring the battery cells to the most energy-efficient state. He can choose between the ‘Drag’ mode for a short full-load drive and the “Track” mode, which optimises the lowest possible battery temperature for several laps.

In addition, the ‘N Race’ function is intended to give the driver “more direct control over the vehicle’s energy consumption”. There is a choice between ‘Endurance’ and ‘Sprint’ in the software. ‘Endurance’ maximises the range on the race track. According to Hyundai, this is achieved by limiting peak power, which results in a slower temperature rise. ‘Sprint’, on the other hand, focuses on performance and delivers maximised energy boosts.