We’ve been talking about it for a long time now, but Hyundai has confirmed its first all-electric N model, the Ioniq 5 N, will arrive in 2023.
The Korean automaker divulged this (completely unsurprising) information as part of its 2022 ‘N Day’, sneaking it into the announcement of its motorsports-inspired RN22e and N Vision 74 ‘rolling lab’ concepts.
“These rolling lab projects are great assets to prepare the N’s electrification vision turning into reality, the Ioniq 5 N next year,” said Hyundai Motor Company vice president of N brand management Till Wartenberg.
Hyundai says that more details about the upcoming Ioniq 5 N will be revealed at a later date.
Previous spied prototype
At this stage the automaker hasn’t shown off any official imagery of the Ioniq 5 N, but we have seen numerous camouflaged spied prototypes in the past.
These previous prototypes have been covered in chequerboard camouflage and had unique wheels, arches and a lower ride height.
It’s unconfirmed what will power the Ioniq 5 N, but it could employ the high-performance electric powertrain that’s used in the RN22e concept and the Kia EV6 GT.
Both of these cars are powered by a dual-motor powertrain that produces 430kW of power and 740Nm of torque. Kia claims the EV6 GT can do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.5 seconds.
It’s unclear if the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N will offer more pace than the EV6 GT, though there may be more of a focus on track performance.
Hyundai executives have previously said N vehicles can employ any number of drivetrains, so long as they follow three principles: they must be a “corner rascal”, and “everyday sports car”, and have track capability.
Documents viewed by CarExpert last year suggest production of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N won’t begin until March 2024.
Regular Ioniq 5
The core Ioniq 5 range first arrived in Australia in September 2021, offering one high-specified trim level and two powertrains.
A recent 2022 model year update brought a lower base price and different line-up.
The entry-level Ioniq 5 Dynamiq starts at $69,900 before on-road costs, which is $2000 cheaper than the previous Ioniq 5 RWD.
The flagship Ioniq 5 Techniq on the other hand is priced at $77,500 before on-road costs, which is $1600 more expensive than the previous Ioniq 5 AWD.
The electric drivetrains for the regular Ioniq 5 range remain the same for now, with the Dynamiq only available with the 160kW/350Nm single-motor rear-wheel drive setup and the Techniq only available with the 225kW/605Nm dual-motor all-wheel drive setup.
Both trim levels are fitted with a 72.6kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack.
The Ioniq 5 in other markets and the recently-detailed Ioniq 6 on the other hand are fitted with a 77.4kWh battery pack.
Hyundai Australia hasn’t confirmed if we’ll see this larger battery in the Ioniq 5, but it’s expected to be brought here at some point.
RN22e concept 
N Vision 74 concept
Seeing that Hyundai has now confirmed that it’s first all-electric N model will be launching in 2023, this leaves room for what’s next.
It’s likely we’ll be seeing an Ioniq 6 N that’s based on the RN22e concept, as well as a hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) Ioniq N car that could use the same powertrain from the retro-looking N Vision 74.
For now we’ll have to wait and see what Hyundai has in store for the upcoming Ioniq 5 N and beyond.
