Hyundai Ioniq 6 N primed as performance brand’s second EV

Hyundai’s N division is putting the finishing touches to a hot new version of the Ioniq 6 saloon, which will bring Porsche Taycan levels of performance and dynamic agility honed on the racetrack. 

Hyundai N’s second electric car, following the just-launched Ioniq 5 N, is entering an advanced stage of development shortly after the performance division confirmed it would stop developing combustion cars, following the removal of the i20 N and i30 N hot hatchbacks from Europe. 

“Going forward in Europe, Hyundai is developing Hyundai N as a pioneer of high-performance EVs,” the brand said recently. “Our customers will benefit from technological developments that will make EVs even more attractive in the future.”

The next stage in the performance brand’s transition to an all-EV line-up will be the launch of the Ioniq 6 N, which was previewed by the outlandish RN22e concept in 2022. It was recently spotted testing at the brand's technical centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, wearing only light camouflage to reveal the range of styling tweaks it receives over the standard car. 

As with N’s first EV, the Ioniq 5 N, the visual modifications include wider wheel arches, larger alloys, red brake calipers, deeper side skirts, a larger rear spoiler and a more aggressive-looking rear bumper to suit the car's performance-oriented billing.

Riding on the same E-GMP platform as the hot crossover, the sporting 6 is likely to use an 86kWh battery to feed a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain that produces up to 641bhp and 549lb ft. 

The Ioniq 5 N touts a BMW M3-beating 0-62mph time of around 3.5sec and 161mph top speed, but its saloon sibling’s lower profile and sleeker silhouette could allow it to improve on those figures. 

The Ioniq 6 N is also likely to receive the same chassis tweaks as its sibling, including enhanced brakes, stiffened and lowered suspension, and a gearbox that simulates the behaviour of the eight-speed dual-clutch unit used by N’s combustion cars.

It could also receive the 5's artificial exhaust note, which attempts to capture the spirit of a traditional combustion hot hatch by matching road speed to ‘revs’, and works with the simulated gearbox to emulate the sensation of driving a petrol sports car.