[Taboleo] Car enthusiasts recognize... the true value of Ioniq 5N

High-Performance Electric Vehicle Market 'Ecosystem Disruptor'
650 Horsepower with 0-100 km/h in 3.4 Seconds
Internal Combustion Engine 'Popcorn Sound' in Electric Cars
Equipped with 'Fake Transmission' Like Internal Combustion Engines
Agile Cornering Despite Heavy 2.2t Bodyweight

‘A car recognized by cha-deokhu (car enthusiasts). A car made by people obsessed with cars. An electric vehicle that shows its true value on the circuit.’

This is the description of Hyundai Motor Company's high-performance electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5 N. From the perspective of industry insiders, the Ioniq 5 N is a kind of ‘ecosystem disruptor.’ The Porsche electric sports car Taycan GTS offers 598 horsepower at around 180 million KRW, Tesla’s Model X Dual Motor has 670 horsepower at about 120 million KRW, and Ford’s Mustang Mach-E GT model starts at 480 horsepower and around 80 million KRW (U.S. prices). Meanwhile, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N delivers 650 horsepower at 76 million KRW. Even considering brand value and marketing costs, this is a significant price difference. So why is Hyundai selling this car at such a low margin? Is Hyundai’s pricing strategy wrong?

To get straight to the point, no. Hyundai did not release the Ioniq 5 N to secure profitability. Their approach is different. Hyundai considers this car as a kind of ‘mass-produced concept car’ that showcases the brand’s technological prowess. Therefore, they poured in all the advanced technologies currently available and included the maximum options for the driver to enjoy.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N running on the circuit
[Photo by Hyundai]

With the advent of the electric vehicle era, a tectonic shift has occurred in the global automobile industry. German and Japanese brands, which had superior technology in internal combustion engines for decades, have fallen behind, while new electric vehicle powerhouses have emerged from Korea and China. Hyundai, having entered the top ranks of electric vehicles, probably thought, ‘It’s worth a try.’ Hyundai externally created a concentrated embodiment to showcase the current state of its electric vehicle technology. That is the Ioniq 5 N.

For reference, the Ioniq 5 N is just an ordinary electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) on regular roads. It reveals its true value only when on the circuit. On the 20th of last month, I test-drove the Ioniq 5 N at the HMG Driving Experience Center located in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do.

Ioniq 5 N Interior
Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

- How was it sitting in the driver’s seat?

▲ Sitting in the driver’s seat, the first thing that catches your eye is the large high-performance N badge on the steering wheel. It looks like a game controller because of the many buttons. The idea is for the driver to directly control various modes and functions by pressing these buttons. The instrument cluster displays real-time information such as motor and battery temperatures, the degree of body roll, and direction. The main display even shows how much the accelerator and brake pedals are being pressed. Car enthusiasts want to check the status of the car they are driving in real time. The Ioniq 5 N shows all the vehicle information, giving you the feeling that you and the car are moving as one.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N dashboard. When entering N mode, it displays motor and battery temperatures as well as the direction and degree of tilt.
[Photo by Woo Su-yeon]

- What are your impressions after driving it?

▲ The Ioniq 5 N has a maximum output of 650 horsepower and a zero-to-100 km/h acceleration time of 3.4 seconds. It is the fastest among domestic cars. Equipped with a high-performance battery, powerful high-speed driving and bullet-like torque are to be expected. However, its agile cornering made it hard to tell whether it was an electric vehicle or an internal combustion engine car. Using the N Pedal function for cornering allowed for sharp cornering with minimal use of brakes. The Ioniq 5 N lets the driver freely distribute torque between the front and rear wheels. This means you can experience front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive all in one car.

- What was the most impressive feature?

▲ Despite being an electric vehicle, the Ioniq 5 N produces a popcorn-like sound reminiscent of an internal combustion engine. The concept of this car is to ‘realize the driving pleasure of an internal combustion engine car in an electric vehicle.’ This means it can offer not only the quiet and heavy driving typical of electric vehicles but also loud and nimble driving.

The Ioniq 5 N allows you to choose from three driving sounds while on the move: Ignition, which replicates the sound of an internal combustion engine; Evolution, which produces the sound of a high-performance electric vehicle; and Supersonic, which sounds like a jet engine. Personally, I liked the Ignition sound best, with its growling popcorn noise.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N running on the circuit
[Photo by Hyundai]

It also features the ‘N e-Shift’ function, which replicates the transmission of an internal combustion engine car. Electric vehicles using regenerative braking do not have transmissions. However, Hyundai added a kind of ‘fake transmission’ function to the Ioniq 5 N. It simulates shift shocks like an internal combustion engine car and even implements a ‘fuel cut’ that cuts fuel supply when engine RPM rises. Seeing these features made me think that Hyundai didn’t just make a high-performance electric vehicle but created a huge toy for car enthusiasts to play with.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N undergoing a drift test
[Photo by Hyundai Motor Company]

- Have you tried drifting with an electric vehicle?

▲ I have test-driven many high-performance electric vehicles, but this was my first time attempting to drift in one. The Ioniq 5 N is equipped with the ‘N Drift Optimizer’ function, which allows even ordinary drivers to easily drift. On a wet surface, I drew a circle to one side and sharply turned the steering wheel; just by slightly lifting my foot off the accelerator, I was able to drift. Many people think drifting is impossible with heavy electric vehicles due to their batteries. The fact that the Ioniq 5 N includes a drift-optimized function was surprising. Even after extensive circuit driving and drifting, the battery temperature was maintained at 26 degrees Celsius, which was impressive.

- Who would you recommend this car to?

▲ I recommend it to those who want to enjoy driving like playing a game. Also, if you are looking for an eco-friendly family car but want to enjoy racing on the circuit on weekends, this is worth considering. However, features like the drift optimizer and rapid launch should only be used on the circuit. The price of the Ioniq 5 N is 76 million KRW after tax benefits, and with subsidies, it can be purchased for around 72 million KRW based on Seoul city standards.