HYUNDAI STARTED WORK ON ELECTRIC N CAR BEFORE WE KNEW WE WANTED IT - AUTOLINE EXCLUSIVES

EV Channels Review

Autoline Exclusives sits down with Joonwoo Park, VP of Hyundai's N brand, to delve into the development of the IONIQ 5 N. Park reveals that work began over three years ago, driven by a desire to make EVs fun and address the endurance limitations of existing high-powered EVs on race tracks. Key innovations include a significantly enhanced cooling system with separate radiators for low and high temperatures, optimized regenerative braking (up to 320 kW) that also aids in cooling, and a customized fourth-generation battery pack. The interview highlights the challenges of creating an "emotional performance" experience in EVs, particularly balancing virtual shifting and sound. Park emphasizes that technologies developed for the N division, such as the integrated drive axle and advanced cooling, are trickling down to regular Hyundai models, enhancing their performance and efficiency. The discussion also touches on the new IONIQ 5 N Cup racing series, designed to make motorsport accessible and showcase the capabilities of production-level EVs.