Hyundai Ioniq 5 N: electric hot hatch arriving in 2023

Hyundai's N performance division has been active since 2017, creating hot versions of the petrol-powered i30, i20 and Kona to considerable acclaim. In 2023, the N badge will appear on a high-performance version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric family car, the South Korean brand has confirmed.

Technical details for the Ioniq 5 N are thin on the ground, but Hyundai’s latest RN22e concept (below) does provide us with some hints at what’s possible. The RN22e is a high-performance version of the Ioniq 6 saloon, featuring a 77.4kWh battery and two electric motors making 569bhp and 740Nm of torque; enough for a 0-62mph time of well under four seconds.

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This powertrain could be carried over to the Ioniq 5 N almost unchanged, considering its Kia EV6 GT sister model also uses a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup producing 577bhp, and is capable of 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds. We expect the Ioniq 5 N to come close to the EV6 GT’s 263-mile range, too.

Like the RN22e, the Ioniq 5 N will be built for track days, as well as daily road use, so other technology that could filter through includes torque vectoring, weight reduction thanks to 3D-printed parts and heavily upgraded brakes. The radical, track-focused EV concept also features ‘N Sound+’ – a system that pumps artificial sound into the cabin, like the e-ASD system that's debuting in the Ioniq 6 – and ‘N e-shift’, which is designed to mimic the feeling of gearchanges.

While we’ve yet to see any official images of the Ioniq 5 N, a prototype was spotted testing in Germany by spy photographers earlier this year. Stiff sports suspension and huge alloy wheels with large brake discs were visible on the car, as was a large air intake on the front bumper, likely to help cool the batteries.

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We expect there to be some more visual changes on the production model, including a larger rear spoiler and front splitter, while the cabin is likely to get a pair of deep bucket seats up front and revised graphics for the dual-screen information system. The N division’s signature Performance Blue paint is also likely to be available.

The nRN22e concept gives us our best look yet at what a high-performance version of the Ioniq 6 saloon could look like, if Hyundai was tempted to take on the BMW i4 M50 or Tesla Model 3 Performance. Sadly, the brand hasn’t yet confirmed whether it’ll make a roadgoing Ioniq 6 N based on the RN22e.