Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric hot hatch gets race-car makeover
This new electric race car is based on Hyundai’s most powerful showroom model, and will compete in its own one-make competition series.
Hyundai has revealed the racing version of its Ioniq 5 N electric hot hatch ahead of its on-track debut on 27 April, and a 'one-make' racing series starting in May 2024.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 eN1 Cup Car is based on the production version of the Ioniq 5 N – the car maker’s most powerful vehicle with 478kW – and has been given suspension, brake, tyre and aerodynamic upgrades for the track-only special model.
The Ioniq 5 N arrived in Australia earlier this year at $111,000 before on-road costs, making it the most expensive Hyundai ever offered in local showrooms.
Hyundai confirmed last year it was working on an electric race car based on the Ioniq 5 N, which it would use for a 'one-make' racing series – meaning a grid consisting entirely of Ioniq 5 Ns – in 2024.
Compared to the road-going version, Hyundai has added an aggressive exterior aerodynamic package designed for high downforce – and faster cornering speeds – including a large hatch-mounted rear spoiler.
The sculpted bodywork also brings wider front and rear wheel tracks for improved high-speed stability, with unique 18-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in 280mm (or 11-inch) wide slick racing tyres.
Hyundai has also fitted six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes.
While the charging port has been relocated, there are no hardware changes to the electric powertrain and 800-volt architecture, nor the 84kWh battery pack.
The eN1 uses the same two electric motors – a 166kW front and a 282kW rear – as the production Ioniq 5 N, for the same total outputs of 478kW and 770Nm of torque.
The eN1 Cup Car is considerably lighter, Hyundai claiming a 1970kg weight against the official 2230kg (tare) of the road-going model.
This suggests the eN1 Cup Car should be able to outperform the road-going Ioniq 5 N’s claimed 3.4-second 0-100km/h acceleration time, and potentially eclipse its 260km/h top speed..
Part of the weight loss comes from the stripped-out interior, which uses a sports racing bucket seat and racing steering wheel, six-point FIA-standard roll cage and safety shut-off switches.
The Ioniq 5 N e1 Cup Car is not the first electric race car from Hyundai, having shown the Veloster N ETCR in 2019.
It is, however, another step in the development of high-performance electric vehicles and parts from the car maker.
The Ioniq 5 eN1 Cup Car will make its public track debut at Inje Speedium – a circuit east of Seoul, South Korea – on 27 April ahead of the ‘trial’ season of racing.
Hyundai says the first year will be used to develop and learn about electric vehicle racing, from the vehicles to marshalling processes, responding to fires, and charging the cars during a competition weekend.
In January 2024 Hyundai presented the Ioniq 5 N NXP1 concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon, showcasing a number of new parts from its N division which Hyundai Australia told Drive it was hoping to offer to customers locally.
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