Hyundai’s Ioniq lineup of EVs launched just a two years ago but the wild other varied Styling quickly caught the public’s imagination. Now for “N-Day,” the company has unveiled two new concept vehicles under the Ioniq N performance brand (“N” for “Never Just Drive”), that take that design theme even further.
Hyundai
The RN22e is an electric performance car with the RN signifying “rolling lab” and N concept, according to Hyundai. It clearly uses the Ioniq 6’s body, but also has the same E-GMP battery and motor platform common to the Ioniq series. As a performance concept, though, it uses the maximum spec available, similar to the Kia’s EV6 GT — dual motors that put out a combined 577 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 77.4 kWh battery. It also has racing upgrades like four-piston brake calipers and 15.75-inch rotors.
Hyundai
The “rolling lab” moniker means there’s some experimental stuff going on, too. Hyundai is testing out ways to use regenerative braking to change the car’s handling, much as you would use torque steering in an all-wheel-drive vehicle. And since one complaint about EVs is that they lack the powerful sounds and feel of ICE cars, Hyundai is using something called N Sound+ to apply artificial noises and even vibrations through the chassis.
Hyundai
The Hyundai N Vision 74 electric/hydrogen concept, meanwhile, could not be more different. As the name suggests, it’s based on the 1974 Hyundai Pony Coupe concept designed by Giorgetto Giugiario. It also borrows from the more recent Pony 45 concept with similar pixelated lights and other features.
As the huge wing and racy looks suggest, the N Vision 74 has an even badder spec sheet. Two rear electric motors output 670 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, while also allowing for torque vectoring. Along with the 62.4-kWh battery pack, it carries a 4.2-kg (10-pound) hydrogen fuel tank with an 85-kWh fuel-cell stack. That would offer a total range of around 373 miles, Hyundai said.
Hyundai
The N Vision 74 looks more like a way to test concepts and styling rather than anything Hyundai will ever produce. However, the RN22e certainly looks like a feasible performance version of the Ioniq 6 for those who dig the egg-like styling. Concepts aside, though, Hyundai is planning to release its first performance N-brand production vehicle next year with the Ioniq 5 N, Spied earlier this year in camouflage.
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