Hyundai N Won’t Let Go Of Gas Even As EVs Take Over

Hyundai’s show limb is evolving fast, and Europe is astir to spot a large shift. The N division’s electrical ambitions are picking up velocity with a increasing lineup of EV-only models, starting with the Ioniq 5 N that’ll soon beryllium joined by the Ioniq 6 N. That doesn’t mean the combustion motor is getting kicked to the curb conscionable yet, though, arsenic Hyundai’s go-fast sub-brand isn’t acceptable to unopen the doorway connected different powertrain options.

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While the Elantra N continues to question the ICE emblem successful North America, Europe has taken a stricter turn. Emissions regulations person already pushed the i20 N and i30 N hot hatches disconnected the map, sparking speculation that Hyundai N would spell afloat electric, overmuch similar Kia appears to beryllium doing with its GT-badged show cars.

EVs Are Just One Part of the Plan

Speaking to Autocar, Joon Park, Vice President of Hyundai N and caput of the Global Marketing Strategy Team, pushed backmost connected the presumption that N is going EV-exclusive. “The occupation that we person is that determination is simply a cognition from the media and our fans that Hyundai N is lone focusing connected the EV world, which is not true,” Park said. “Even though we are going to present the Ioniq 6 N astatine Goodwood Festival of Speed, we are not limiting ourselves to EVs.”

Park added that the part is unfastened to exploring a wide scope of ideas: “We’re going guardant with EVs, of course, arsenic good arsenic each the different proposals we could do. Because for N, imaginativeness and courageousness are the words we request to remember.”

Room for Hybrids and More

US-Spec Hyundai Elantra N

The show division’s boss, a self-declared instrumentality of combustion-powered sports cars, didn’t spell into item astir what kinds of powertrains aboriginal Hyundai N models mightiness use. Still, it’s tenable to deliberation the marque could align with its genitor company’s multi-pathway strategy.

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The Hyundai Group has already confirmed it’s processing a assortment of models with hybrid and EREV (extended scope electrical vehicle) systems. These are meant to complement its increasing battery-electric lineup portion reducing reliance connected charging infrastructure.

Not each 1 of those platforms volition beryllium a acceptable for Hyundai N’s show focus, but the absorption is clear. A akin attack is besides successful the works astatine Genesis, wherever the recently launched Magma sub-brand is expected to blend show with a premix of powertrain technologies.

What’s Coming Next

The Hyundai i30 N, which launched successful 2017, kicked disconnected the sub-brand’s travel with a due blistery hatch that acceptable the code for aboriginal N models. Since then, the show attraction has been applied to the i20, Kona, Veloster, Elantra, and much recently, the Ioniq 5.

Now, the Ioniq 6 N is getting acceptable for its debut astatine the Goodwood Festival of Speed, wherever it volition service arsenic a showcase for what the adjacent all-electric N car volition look and consciousness like.

Another exemplary that could articulation the lineup successful the coming years is simply a production mentation of the Vision N 74 Concept, positioned arsenic a low-volume halo car. The conception featured a hydrogen-electric hybrid setup delivering 670 hp (500 kW / 680 PS), though it’s inactive unclear whether a akin powertrain would marque it into a road-going version.

The upcoming afloat electrical Ioniq 6 N.