We can go a long way in saying that enthusiasts will love it. Because for the most untamed opponents of the electric car, nothing beats a sports car with a good petrol engine. For the less dogmatic, but still passionate, the fact is that the high-performance electric car lacks something: sound. From the Porsche Taycan to the Abarth 500e, everyone tries to get around the problem. But with its Ioniq 5 N, Hyundai goes a little further.

A little reminder

For those who don’t already know, Hyundai released the sporty ‘N’ badge a few years ago. And N-stamped products turned out to be wonderful surprises. The Hyundai I30 N is a true sports car that is as stunning as it is enjoyable. He has nothing to envy references in this category, such as Renault Mégane RS or VW Golf R. It must be said that the person who manages the development of these models is called Albert Biermann. Reading this German’s resume, we learn that before joining Hyundai, he spent more than 20 years at… BMW M. In short, he’s someone who knows how to do it. And you can see it behind the wheel of the i30 N. Even if the electric Ioniq 5 is significantly larger and heavier than the i30, we can expect something quite nice. Especially that we cause a power of almost 600 hp. and Drift mode. But this is not the topic of the day.

Reduced transmission

A sports car is not only about performance and handling. It is also a sound environment. And in the absence of a “real” engine, manufacturers resort to electronics to artificially create the most evocative sounds. What you hear in the Porsche Taycan or the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore is already interesting enough. And at Abarth, for the sporty version of the electric Fiat 500, we promise to get really close to the thunderous sound of the gasoline versions. But in any case, these artificial musics are quite linear. It goes up when you speed up and down when you slow down. Nice, but something is missing.

More precisely, “it wasn’t enough.” Since on a Hyundai released a new teaser, we hear something new. The images show the Ioniq 5 N racing through the streets of Seoul and the Namyang test track. It speeds up, makes itself heard, and we can already say that the acoustics have done a great job. Then a Hyundai pulls up on the bend. It slows down, and here is this characteristic melody… Like an engine revving up when we downshift. Okay, it’s all fake, artificial, made in a lab. But we are already sure that it will create a much more expressive atmosphere on board. In any case, it gives us a little more desire to try the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. And this is already a good card for the manufacturer.