Hyundai says electric N cars not about metrics

HYUNDAI Australia has used the occasion of the launch of its Ioniq 5 N performance EV to underscore the importance of its N brand pillars in the electric age.

And while the performance metrics offered by Hyundai’s first all-electric performance car are indeed impressive, Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) product planning and development manager Tim Rodgers says the aim of producing the vehicle was not to set numerical benchmarks, but to deliver driver enjoyment in an all-new way.

“Part of it is ‘because we can’, but more importantly it is because our senior leadership wanted to demonstrate that Hyundai has the vision to look at where the future is headed and take us there,” he stated.

“As our executive technical advisor Albert Biermann said, we wanted to build something that was not only fast, but also exciting – and electric – and that’s exactly what he began to create some seven or eight years ago.

“And it’s important to note that the project wasn’t simply a case of ‘let’s see how far we can take it’, because there really is much more than can be extracted from the e-GMP platform. It was genuinely about delivering on the N brand’s pillars of Corner Rascal, Everyday Sports Car, and Racetrack Capability.”

In delivering on those claims, Mr Rodgers says the Ioniq 5 N is pioneering something of a new path for EV owners wanting more from their vehicles than straight-line action (even if the Ioniq 5 N’s 3.4-second 0-100km/h time is up there with some of the fastest EVs on the market).

The move is one he says transcends the mere pursuit of speed or power, instead delving into the very essence of what it means to drive – and to be a driver – amidst the electric age.

“What was really confronting for us in achieving the goals of the Ioniq 5 N project was that there wasn’t really anyone to follow,” he continued.

“For that reason, it was a project that was a true ‘first’, and it generated a lot of conversation within the (Hyundai Motor) Group. It made us look within and ask what it is we desire from the project, and the answer was that we’re about emotion first, and not the metrics.”

In many ways, it seems that Hyundai has not simply constructed a vehicle, but that it is weaving a narrative of mobility rooted in sustainability and spurred on by the lessons learnt in developing its previous N cars.

Mr Rodgers said the i30 N was substantial marker for driving fun, and that as much of that ‘playfulness’ as possible was utilised in benchmarking the character of the Ioniq 5 N.

“We’re not just testing the waters; we’re navigating a course we believe is inevitable, and in many ways, we’ve had to chart our own course,” enthused Mr Rodgers, underscoring the brand’s conviction in its electric future.

“Quoting enormous power and acceleration figures is somewhat meaningless – the numbers become irrelevant after a point. We have never tethered ourselves to conventional notions of performance. We’ve always sought to redefine what makes a car truly exhilarating.

“Take the i30 N for example. It didn’t offer the highest output, all-wheel drive, the widest tyres; it wasn’t about the metrics. But it was still fun, right?

“One of the things we learnt from that (car) was that just because someone else might leapfrog us, it doesn’t mean we should necessarily be tempted to try and leapfrog back. It’s a very interesting thought process for us – and we are still exploring it and will continue to explore it.

“It is important to understand that you can continue to add to a car, and risk moving away from the pillars we mentioned earlier. But you can also take away from a car and deliver on those pillars perfectly.”

While it might sound like Mr Rodgers was channelling Lotus’ Colin Chapman (‘simplify, then add lightness’), the likeable Australian-based engineer said it was important Hyundai remained flexible enough to meet the changing needs of the N customer, while also appreciating the growing level of competition and complexity within the segment.

And although the Ioniq 5 N might currently be without a direct rival, it’s important to appreciate the pace at which the industry is changing, and how that change will shape the profile of buyers accustomed to deft handling and towering performance will shop within this brave new world.

“In relative terms, we’ve done this (produced the Ioniq 5 N) quite quickly. Eight years is really fast in the automotive landscape. I can’t imagine some of our competitors being able to achieve what we have,” he added.

“Being able to let go of their legacy and letting go of what the market expects from them and coming up with a vehicle of this calibre – in a sense, we didn’t have to deal with that level of expectation. That is an incredible strength for us.

“We firmly believe that if you speak to people’s emotions, then a product will resonate with them. That’s fundamental to our being … and I know this car has the substance to appeal to the kind of audience we’re aiming it at.”

With nearly 80 Australian orders being fulfilled from the first shipment, and more on the list, Mr Rodgers has a right to be confident in his product, and said he believes sales figures are the only true metric the Ioniq 5 N needs to prove itself in a fast-changing market.

“It is a really special car for us in so many ways,” he said excitedly.

“Not just in terms of the engineering, or the spirit of the N brand, and not just because it meets our philosophy, or because of the timing with which it has entered the market. It’s all of it, and I can’t wait for everyone to see what’s coming next.”