The automaker is revealing its second high-performance EV with the IONIQ 6 N. This model can hit 160 MPH, but is just at home on the road as it is on the race track. The IONIQ 6 N follows the runaway success of the entertaining IONIQ 5 N in 2024. Hyundai knows what it’s doing in applying speed to its EV models.

Born Out of the N Division

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 doesn’t look anything like Hyundai small SUVs or any other Hyundai model. It has a strange curved profile that almost looks like the revamped VW Beetle in an elongated shape. However, the N Division gives it life with cornering ability and zippy acceleration. It can go from zero to 60 mph in just over three seconds with launch control. Its top speed is around 160 mph.

The 6 N also gets a revamped battery management system that helps it adapt to various track driving scenarios. For example, drag race, sprint race, or endurance racing. That ensures optimal temperatures while racing at high speeds. This means better and longer-lasting performance. In other words, the 6 N should be able to perform at race levels for a longer period of time.

The president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company states that his goal with the second performance EV is to bring driving enthusiasts over to EVs. It’s no secret that fans of high-performance cars tend to also be fans of combustion technology. Hyundai hopes to change that.

Innovative N e-Shift System

One big reason that the 6 N might lure combustion fans is its innovative N e-Shift system. It first debuted to great effect on the IONIQ 5 N, but it’s allegedly new and improved for the 6 N. When the system is switched on, it can simulate the physical and audible sensations of a combustion car’s gear shifting.

The motors and regen braking system combine to manipulate levels of torque resistance to mirror the dip in acceleration you get when you switch gears in an ICE vehicle. This is also combined with software that mimics the engine sound of shifting gears. Hyundai went even further by adding the N Ambient Shift Light that shows visual cues for shift points.

Other tweaks include a redesigned suspension and reengineered chassis. The 6 N’s exterior design isn’t just about looking futuristic, but is actually a win for aerodynamics. The single-curve profile gives it a drag coefficient of only 0.21.

Acing the 2023 World Car Awards

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 has already made a mark before the N version came out. It drove away with the design of the year, EV of the year, and car of the year at the 2023 World Car Awards. Despite all this recognition, the IONIQ 6’s sales in the United States haven’t been as brisk as expected. On the other hand, the more family-friendly IONIQ 5 keeps selling more.

There’s no word yet on when pricing for the 6 N will be revealed, but Hyundai is banking on the performance version bringing more attention to the IONIQ 6 as a whole. It’s already critically acclaimed; it just needs to attract buyers. The N model might be just the thing to turn it around.