2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Wants to Prove 641 HP EVs Belong at the Track

Although Hyundai’s high-performance N division isn’t all that old, today it enters a new chapter – electrification. With the 2025 Ioniq 5 N, the brand’s hopes are “for performance enthusiasts to satisfy their driving passion on the road and track.”, just with an EV instead. Hyundai is quick to point out the new vehicle needs to achieve the three N performance pillars of ‘Corner Rascal,’ ‘Racetrack Capability’ and ‘Everyday Sportscar’.

When Hyundai applied the full N treatment to the Elantra, the manufacturer didn’t just add a bit of power and call it a day. The car was completely transformed form the ground up. With the Ioniq 5, the same has happened.

To handle the increased strain on the Ioniq under acceleration, braking, and cornering, the structure has been enhanced. There are no fewer than 42 additional welding points and 6.9 feet of additional structural adhesives added to the body. Both the motors and battery have strengthened mounts while the front and rear subframes are beefed up as well.

Remember when Hyundai was in the World Rally Championship? Well, the manufacturer has given the Ioniq 5 N axels inspired by that racing series, but even stronger to hand the insane instant torque electric motors produce.

When it comes to the steering, yep, it too has been strengthened. It has a specially-tuned N electric power steering with a quicker steering ratio and better feedback. The goal is to make the steering more communicative and provide more feel for the driver.

All the changes under the skin are matched by upgrades to the Ioniq 5 N’s exterior. There are cosmetic upgrades, like contrasting black trim, and more functional ones like wing-type rear spoiler.

Up front there’s a functional mesh grille along with what Hyundai calls an air curtain and active air flaps for extra cooling. The bumper features a lip spoiler with a ‘Luminous Orange’ stripe painted across it. This orange highlight continues all around the bottom of the vehicle – a telltale sign to passersby that this is the sportiest of Ioniq 5's.

At the rear there is the aforementioned rear spoiler as well as a diffuser to help with high-speed aerodynamics. Within the spoiler there’s a third brake light and below it, there is a rear wiper and washer. Halleluiah!

The dimensions of the vehicle change a bit too. It sits 0.6-inches lower (15 mm) and is 3.15-inches (80 mm) longer mostly due to the large rear diffuser. To fit the wider 21-inch wheels wearing 275/35R21 Pirelli P Zero tires, the N is nearly 2-inches (50 mm) wider than regular Ioniq 5 models.

The big headline stealer for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is easily the drivetrain. The dual motors can spin up to 21,000 RPM and unleash a maximum of 641 horsepower. That’s a lot of power for any vehicle and a huge increase from regular Ioniq 5 models. Heck, that’s even a big step up from its high-performance corporate cousin, the Kia EV6 GT.

To get all 641 hp, the N Grin Boost mode needs to be engaged. Without getting too technical, N Grin Boost allows the motors and battery to unlock secondary levels of power for 10 second intervals at a time. Using the N Launch Control mode automatically activates N Grin Boost through three driver selectable traction modes. In optimal conditions, Hyundai expects the N to scoot from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds (3.4 seconds 0-100 km/h).

Power is poured into the two electric motors via a new 84 kWh battery. When not in full N Grin Boost mode, total output is only 601 hp.

Hyundai wants the Ioniq 5 N to be able to head to the local track, even if it is an EV. Equipped in the vehicle is a tracker for the SOC (state-of-charge). It will automatically calculate battery consumption every lap and let the driver know how far they have left to go.

What’s more, the N Race feature gives drivers more direct control over energy consumption. In short, N Race will give drivers a choice to either prioritize ‘Endurance’ or ‘Sprint.’ In the Endurance mode, the vehicle maximizes range on the racetrack. This is achieved by limiting peak power, which results in a slower build-up of temperature. As can be guessed, Sprint mode sends full power to the wheels for maximum performance during time attack laps.

The choices don’t end there though. Drivers can also utilize the N Battery Pre-conditioning to get the battery cells up to the most power-efficient temperature. Then, they can choose between ‘Drag’ mode for short, full power bursts, or the ‘Track’ mode that keeps the lowest possible battery temperature for sustained lapping.

Overall, Hyundai claims the Ioniq 5 N has a higher resistance to heat-induced power degradation compared to other high performance electric vehicles. This is a claim we will love to test in the future.

There’re even more special modes included in the sporty Ioniq 5. First, there’s the N Pedal that uses the regenerative brakes to enable better cornering as opposed to maximum energy efficiency. The setting will activate aggressive weight transfer onto the front axle while braking, resulting in better vehicle turn-in while cornering.

While the N Pedal helps with corner-in performance, the N Torque Distribution helps with corner-out performance. It provides a fully variable front and rear torque distribution the driver can adjust though no fewer than 11 levels. There’s also an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle to further aide with cornering.

Finally, there’s the N Drift Optimizer for tire shredding slides. It features a Torque Kick Drift function that allows the driver to simulate a clutch-kick to snap the rear of the car into a sideways drift. We’re sure there are practical applications for this in motorsport, but we just want to do some big looping donuts.

As mentioned, the Ioniq 5 N’s brakes are an important part of the vehicle. The rotors measure an immense 15.75-inches in diameter up front and are clamped by four-piston calipers. In the rear, the rotors are still sizeable, measuring 14.2-inches. To keep them cool under hard use, there are dedicated cooling ducts on the vehicle.

Hyundai has reworked the N-specific regenerative braking system to aid in performance more than just energy recuperation. They can deliver a maximum of 0.6 g of deceleration force before seamless transitioning over the mechanical brakes.

Although these are our words and not the brand’s, Hyundai understands that many find EVs to be a bit soulless. So, the manufacturer has added two elements to the Ioniq 5 N to make it a bit more engaging to drive.

First, there is the N e-shift. Basically, it simulates the feel of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). There are simulate gearshift including audible cues. It gives the driver a feeling of more control over the vehicle.

Secondly, there is the N Active Sound+. Using eight internal speakers and 2 external, the vehicle simulates sound in relation to speed. There are three modes to choose from. The ‘Ignition’ sound which mimics an internal-combustion 4-cylinder engine, the ‘Evolution’ sound inspired by Hyundai’s RN22e rolling lab prototype, and finally the ‘Supersonic’ sound cosplaying as a twin-engine fighter jet.

Inside, there’s a specific N steering wheel with the ubiquitous N buttons. Of course, one of these is the N Grin Boost button to unleash those extra 40 horsepower. The paddle shifters aren’t just for regenerative braking as they can also be used for the N e-shift mode.

To protect one’s limbs while flinging the Ioniq 5 N around, the center console includes knee pads and shin support as well as a sliding armrest. The N seats also have reinforced bolsters to keep torsos in place. While on the topic of aggressive driving, the pedals also improved foot contact pads to keep a driver’s feet from sliding off.

When not in full attack mode, the vehicle’s broader damping ranges with increased damper size will allow owners to set the chassis into a more relaxed state for daily driving.

Hyundai expects the Ioniq 5 N will be at dealers sometime in the spring of 2024. For those into high performance EV’s like this, Hyundai states there will be future electrified N models to follow.

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