Hyundai debuts Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car for EV Racing

Hyundai goes racing with Ioniq 5 N

Hyundai is finally pulling the trigger – they will go racing with their award-winning EV.

The Korean automaker has unveiled the new Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car. And yes, it’s the racing counterpart of the 650 PS Hyundai Ioniq 5 N high-performance EV built for the brand’s one-make racing series.

The Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car features a redesigned exterior body kit that consists of lower and wider fenders, front lips, and rear wings to generate greater downforce, and lighter components such as an FRP hood, polycarbonate windows to go along with 18-inch forged wheels wrapped in slick tires.

To improve its mechanical grip and handling, Hyundai installed two-way adjustable dampers with provision for camber adjustment to optimize the setup depending on the track. For greater stopping power, the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car gets six-piston front and four-piston rear forged brake calipers.

For enhanced safety, the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car was fitted with an FIA homologated roll cage, racing bucket seats, and harnesses, as well as plumbed-in fire extinguishers made exclusively to put out electric fires.

Power output remains unchanged for the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car, which means it gets a 226 PS front motor and a 383 PS rear motor for a combined system output of 650 PS. Likewise, the race car still has the 84.0 kWh battery but its charging port location has been modified for racing use.

Despite all the weight-saving measures, the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car still tips the scales at approximately 1,970 kg. But for those who will get to watch the EV race car in action, the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car still features the sounds delivered by NGB overboost, virtual shift (N e-Shift), and differentiated and amplified NAS+ (N Active Sound) found on the road car.

This year will mark Hyundai’s foray into EV racing with the Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup Car. The Hyundai N Festival will kick off with the opening round at Inje Speedium on April 27. The eN1 class will have its official practice during the opening round, followed by 10 races in the fifth round. The competition format will vary, including one-on-one knockout races and traditional sprint races, allowing for a comprehensive understanding, and testing of various EV racing methods.