Hyundai’s second all-electric performance model makes its debut on the hill climb at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed. Making up to 640 hp, the Ioniq 6 N can top 60 in 3.2 seconds and tops out at 160 mph. Headlight.News has more.
The upgrades to the Ioniq 6 are meant to enhance track performance without sacrificing ride comfort.
Gone are the days when you had to sacrifice style, comfort – and performance – if you wanted to buy a battery-electric vehicle.
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a case in point, with its striking, aero-sleek design and upscale appointments. Now, the Korean carmaker is taking things to the next level when it comes to performance, introducing its second all-electric N model at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The new Hyundai Ioniq N adds some design updates, including a rear wing, updates the sedan’s suspension, and gives it a substantial boost in power, enough to launch it from 0-100 kmh (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds. Here’s more.
What’s new
The Ioniq 6 N sports a new wing and flared fenders.
Hyundai’s push into performance is centered around its N sub-brand. It already offers a number of gas-powered packages and began giving the N treatment to its all-electric line-up with the launch of the Ioniq 5 N. Now comes the Ioniq 6 N and it turns the sleek sedan into a Jekyll-and-Hyde beast.
The basic design of what Hyundai dubbed the “electric streamliner” carries through but there are a number of updates, primarily focused on functionality. That includes a a swan-neck rear wing to deliver additional downforce, along with wider fenders that give the sedan a revamped stance, making room for the new Pirelli P-Zero tires and upgraded brakes.
The N package can deliver as much as twice the power of the regular Ioniq 6 all-wheel-drive package. But this is more than just the electric take on a classic muscle car. The 6 N has undergone major surgery to its suspension and chassis and adds new electronically controlled features, like an N Drift Optimizer.
Powertrain
Compared to the standard-edition Ioniq 6 – shown here – the performance sedan more doubles horsepower.
The original version of Ioniq 6 was no slouch, mustering up to 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of roque in the long-range all-wheel-drive package. The N model can more than double that. It’s twin electric motors normally muster 601 hp and 546 lb-ft, but hit the N Grin Boost button on the steering wheel and that jumps to 641 hp and 568 lb-ft for 10 seconds – the same numbers as the 5 N.
The numbers don’t tell the whole story. To maximize performance, drivers can turn to the adjustable N Torque Distribution system which, Hyundai explains, “Provides fully variable front and rear torque distribution that can be adjusted to 11 levels.”
The N Drift Optimizer, meanwhile, adds another level of driver control. “With customizable parameters for drift initiation, angle and wheel spin,” the automaker notes, “drivers can fine-tune the vehicle’s behavior to suit their skill level and driving style.”
And the 6 N comes with Launch Control which optimizes take-off performance to deliver the best possible 0-60 times. That translates into 0-100 kmh launches in 3.2 seconds. At the top end, the Ioniq sedan can hit 160 mph before it’s reined in by the electronic control system.
More Hyundai News
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- Tease: Hyundai Goes F-N Wild With Ioniq 6 N
- A Week With the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Range and charging
All long-range versions of the Ioniq 6 feature 84 kWh batteries.
Hyundai has yet to release full details here. Among other things, it’s yet to be announced whether the Ioniq 6 N will migrate to the Tesla-based NACS charger port – gaining it access to the Supercharger network – or stick with a CCS port. Spokesman Chris Paukert notes that all new Hyundai’s are going to go the NACS root, but it hasn’t been confirmed if that applies to new versions of existing models.
The 84.0 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery is shared with other long-range versions of the Ioniq 6. Hyundai expects a 291-mile range using the global WLTP standard. Typically, that drops 20% or so when testing is done by the U.S. EPA. The same battery pack in the Ioniq 5 N gets a rating of 221 miles per charge.
Expect similar charging data. Hyundai estimates the 5 N requires 18 minutes to go from a 10 to 80% state-of-charge using a public quick charger capable of delivering at least 238 kilowatts. That stretches to 70 minutes with a 50 kW quick charger, while you’ll need 7 hours 20 minutes to go from drained to a 100% charge using a home Level 2 system.
Other upgrades
Drivers have multiple ways to set up the 6 N for performance driving, including the N Grin button on the steering wheel.
Hyundai engineers didn’t stop with the powertrain. The N package gets a full makeover of its suspension geometry, while additional tweaks have been made to the chassis to stiffen it up and enhance track performance – though Hyundai claims it kept in mind “preserving the ride comfort expected in daily driving.” Among other things, the 6 N has a lower roll center for improved high-speed stability and cornering.
New to the N: stroke sensing electronic-controlled dampers which can respond to varying road and driving conditions
“IONIQ 6 N combines formidable power, sophisticated battery management, aerodynamic mastery and advanced suspension systems to deliver a compelling blend of speed, stability and comfort, setting new benchmarks in modern automotive engineering,” said Manfred Harrer, head of Hyundai’s Development Tech Unit.
Add to the package four-piston front and single-piston rear brake calipers with 15.7-inch front and 14.1-inch rear discs. The sedan rides on 20-inch wheels shod with 275/35R20 Pirelli P-Zero 5 tires specifically developed for the N model.
The digital fun stuff
The 6 N shares a number of features with the original Ioniq 5 N such as simulated shifting.
As with the Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai designed in some features that you might think silly. Then again, you could find it part of the fun of pushing the sedan to the limits.
The N e-Shift system lets you artificially create the gear shifts you’d expect from a performance vehicle, And the N Ambient Shift Light syncs that up with the 6’s ambient lighting system.
There’s also the N Active Sound+ which provides three optional soundtracks. “Ignition” is designed to sound very much like you’re driving an internal combustion package. As for the others, “Evolution” sounds more like a traditional EV. “Lightspeed” gives the 6 N a sci-fi sountrack.
Expect to see the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N arrive in U.S. showrooms later this year as a 2026 model. Pricing is TBA but should come in around the same as – or slightly higher than — the Ioniq 5 N which currently starts at $67,800 including delivery fees.
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