Hyundai improves the Ioniq 5 with a new performance N variant

Electric vehicles are often not thought of as fun machines to drive compared to gear-shifting gas vehicles, but Hyundai is doing its part to bridge the gap. New Ioniq 5 N Performance Edition, As the name suggests, the automaker has assigned its popular crossover EV to the teams of its “N” subbrand and is giving it a virtual eight-speed transmission and up to 478 kW (equivalent to 641 horsepower).

The new “E-Shift” dual-clutch transmission is designed to give the 2024 Ioniq 5 N the feel of an internal combustion engine vehicle without the emissions. It simulates gear shifting by adjusting torque output on the dual motors and includes jerks and simulated engine noises to help make it look like you’re driving pistons on a racetrack. You can also take control “manually” using the shift paddles, and the system will even punish you with a sense of cutoff if you miss the timing.

The Ioniq 5 N’s motors can reach a maximum of 478kW combined using its “N Grin Boost” mode and can accelerate from zero to 62mph in around 3.4 seconds. That compares with the regular Ioniq 5 AWD, which outputs a combined 239kW/320 horsepower and is about a second slower than the N. The new model is technically even more powerful than Tesla’s Model 3 Performance, which outputs around 450 horsepower.

The Ioniq 5 N looks a bit different from the regular model, including a deeper front bumper and a functional mesh that allows it slightly more airflow. There is an N badge on the grille and a sporty red soul patch in the center on both the front and rear bumpers. The vehicle’s skirt features a red pinstripe that runs around the perimeter of the EV, and of course, it gets 21-inch aluminum wheels for a complete tricked-out look.

As the industry moves toward more electric vehicles, automakers are trying to find more ways to entice motor-heads to embrace the future and dampen their enthusiasm for internal combustion engine cars. For example: Ford created a six-speed manual gearbox for the one-off electric Mustang, and Jeep’s Magneto EV concept is designed with a full-shift feel as well. And Toyota is actively developing its own “manual” system for the EV, which, like the Ioniq 5 N, also implies that the transmission is unhappy if you fiddle with the controls.

Hyundai has developed other electric performance N vehicles as concepts, including its “Rolling Lab” RN22e (a modified Ioniq 6) and the N Vision 74. The automaker is also producing a Kona N EV that runs on a different electric vehicle platform than the E. -gmp one in ionic.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N delivers 84kWh of usable battery energy, compared to the standard’s 77.4kWh, despite not adopting the automaker’s newly announced Integrated Modular Architecture (IMA) EV platform. Hyundai lists that the N supports 350 kW charging; Meanwhile, its other vehicles really don’t charge that fast Despite supporting the shared platform speed. According to the automaker, the N’s battery can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes.

As for other features, the Ioniq 5 N has all the features that the regular version has, including the vehicle-to-load (V2L) system that essentially turns your car into a big battery bank. Though mommy about the Ioniq 5 N’s range, don’t expect to take it for long road trips if the surprisingly poor range of Hyundai’s subsidiary Kia EV6 GT Performance trim is any indication.