Are Electric Cars Sluggish? It's Different When Hyundai Makes Them... Unveiling the 650-Horsepower Electric Rally Car

Hyundai N Unveils Mobile Research Lab RN24
Advanced New Technologies Applied to Subcompact Car-Class Vehicle

Hyundai Motor Company unveiled the high-performance rolling lab RN24 on the 25th. The term "rolling lab" means a "moving laboratory," created to verify various advanced technologies used in motorsports under real driving conditions. Hyundai previously introduced rolling labs such as the hydrogen hybrid electric vehicle N Vision 74 and the sedan-type electric vehicle RN22e, and the RN24 is seen as presenting another electrification vision.

According to a video released on social media (SNS) that day, the RN24 stands out for delivering performance comparable to the high-performance electric vehicle Ioniq 5 N in the small car segment (B-segment). Its smaller size allows for more agile driving. The new car's curb weight is 1880 kg, and its wheelbase is 2660 mm, making it over 300 kg lighter and more than 300 mm smaller than the Ioniq 5 N (2200 kg, 3000 mm).

Are Electric Cars Sluggish? It's Different When Hyundai Makes Them... Unveiling the 650-Horsepower Electric Rally Car

Demonstrating drifting with the RN24
[Photo by Hyundai Motor Company]

The maximum output is 650 horsepower, the same as the Ioniq 5 N. It utilizes chassis design technology honed over 10 years of participation in the World Rally Championship (WRC) since 2014. The exoskeleton design, based on the special protective cage called a roll cage used in WRC vehicles, eliminates the steel panels on the upper parts of the vehicle such as the doors and hood. The company stated, "We aimed to break the stereotype that electric vehicles with batteries are heavy and thus lack agility."

A new rally mode electronic all-wheel control technology has been introduced. This technology maximizes cornering ability by precisely controlling the front and rear motors and the rotation of each wheel according to the driver's intentions when navigating curves. The car learns sensor data such as steering angle, vehicle tilt, grip of each wheel, and vehicle sway during braking, and distributes power to all four wheels in real time.

Hyundai verified this technology with the Ioniq 5 N at the Central Europe Rally of the WRC held on the 17th. Typically, WRC race cars use expensive devices to control each wheel separately. The technology applied this time enables control beyond that of internal combustion engine vehicles using only sensors and semiconductors.

'2024 World Rally Championship (WRC)' Central Europe Rally participant Hyundai Motor Company 'i20 N Rally1 Hybrid' race car [Photo by Hyundai Motor Company] [Image source=Yonhap News]

The RN24 also features a new E-handbrake technology. It locks the rear wheels through regenerative braking unique to electric vehicles. This technology is a reinterpretation of the handbrake needed for WRC racing using electronics. The handbrake used in race cars is a hydraulic device sensitive to temperature changes. The newly developed E-handbrake is based on electronic technology, maintaining consistent braking force regardless of temperature. It also has the advantage of being much lighter than hydraulic devices. Compared to the Ioniq 5 N, two additional external speakers were added, totaling four, producing exhaust sounds reminiscent of internal combustion engine vehicles.

While most automakers are slowing down investments due to a slowdown in electric vehicle demand in domestic and international markets, Hyundai Motor Group continues to invest. They are developing technologies across various fields including electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cells, while boldly adopting the advantages of existing internal combustion engine vehicles. The Ioniq 5 N, launched last year, is praised for delivering driving performance that was previously only achievable in vehicles costing hundreds of millions of won, now available at tens of millions of won.

RN24[Photo by Hyundai Motor Company]

The RN24 will be exhibited in person and test-driven at the Hyundai N×Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival held in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on the 27th. RN is a combination of the R from Rolling Lab and N, Hyundai's high-performance brand. Park Jun-woo, head of Hyundai Motor's N Brand Management, said, "With the RN24 rolling lab, we will unlock the potential of electrification technologies that have yet to be explored."