There could be a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N on the way

It looks like an N version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be in the works. Yep, fans of retro-inspired wedgy crossovers who need to get places quickly, rejoice!

Fresh from it scooping our design gong at the Top Gear Electric Awards, N division has hinted to us that Hyundai’s retro EV might be the next model in line for a performance upgrade.

“Could you imagine we were not working on it already?” teased Albert Biermann, boss of N. His colleague Thomas Schemera was a bit less cryptic.

“Everybody knows that our electric global modular platform (E-GMP) has a lot of potential and shows a lot of flexibility. One thing is for sure, eco-friendly models are on our priority list – at the top.

“We never stop thinking about extending our product portfolio and strategically we are moving full speed ahead with eco-friendly offerings. We are moving ahead with our battery electric concept and our fuel cell electric concepts.”

Would that be something with an Ioniq model as its basis? “I guess it seems to be realistic,” he added. Yep, still somewhat cryptically.

But given the Ioniq 5 is rear-drive as stock, with up to 300bhp in all-wheel-drive trim, there’s certainly performance potential there. Which hasn’t been unlocked in standard form, Hyundai favouring a comfier approach thus far.

It’s no secret that Hyundai is working with Rimac on an electric performance car, one to top the N range. But it seems cars like the i30N, i20N and new Kona N may not only be the very first N models, but perhaps the last with internal combustion as their main power source. Things move quickly in Korea.