Hyundai unveils racy new Ioniq 5 N

Hyundai Motor has unveiled its first high-performance electric vehicle (EV), an N sport variant of its Ioniq 5 crossover SUV.

The South Korean automaker said the Ioniq 5 N, which will be available at its dealers in March 2024, will be followed by more electrified N models.

The N brand is the company's high-performance brand, akin to AMG for Mercedes and the M line-up for BMW.

The Ioniq's N variant will be powered by dual motors producing 448kW, nearly double the output of the most powerful variant of the standard outgoing model.

Hyundai unveiled the performance EV in Los Angeles on Wednesday, ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show opening on Friday.

Automakers such as Audi, Porsche and Tesla have been trying to redesign traditionally efficient EVs with sporty design cues and tougher components to woo car enthusiasts who generally gravitate towards higher-performing combustion vehicles.

Rival Stellantis revealed a concept electric Dodge Charger last year, banking on the legacy of the almost 60-year muscle car brand pulling in EV-averse gear heads.

Hyundai expects the Ioniq 5 N to reach a limited top speed of 260km/h but did not reveal an estimate on the range offered. It said 0-100km/h comes in 3.25 seconds. 

The company, founded in 1967, launched the Ioniq 5 midsize crossover based on its Electric-Global Modular Platform in 2021 to cash in on strong EV demand worldwide.