What’s Happening: Hyundai Motor Company has shared insights on the extreme winter testing of its first high-performance, mass-production all-electric N brand model, the IONIQ 5 N, at the Hyundai Mobis Proving ground in Arjeplog, Sweden.
Why It Matters: The winter testing at Arjeplog, which lies close to the Arctic Circle, is essential for the automaker to achieve an optimal balance between the vehicle’s fun-to-drive nature and its performance under severe weather conditions. This testing helps ensure that the IONIQ 5 N performs safely and predictably in sub-zero temperatures and low friction conditions.
Key Points:
- The Hyundai Mobis Proving ground in Arjeplog offers a unique testing environment, with low-grip coefficient icy surfaces and deep sub-zero temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F).
- Hyundai N engineers are using these extreme conditions to test the vehicle, fine-tuning its performance and safety features for the most challenging winter conditions.
- Till Wartenberg, vice president of N Brand Management & Motorsport sub-division at Hyundai Motor Company, states that the IONIQ 5 N meets the company’s broad performance criteria, ensuring N Brand success as their first EV production N model.
- The N performance strategy, encompassing corner rascal, racetrack capability, and everyday sports car, has long applied to the brand’s electrification plans.
- Hyundai’s N brand established its vision for a sustainable future in 2015 with the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo, which laid the foundation for their electrification strategy. This strategy began with the RM20e prototype and Veloster N ETCR race car.
- In 2022, the N brand introduced the RN22e, a rolling lab designed to transfer the brand’s electrification experience to its first production EV, the IONIQ 5 N, which is set for launch later this year.
- More information about the model will be released leading up to its global debut in July.
Bottom Line: Hyundai’s reveal of the extreme winter testing for the IONIQ 5 N highlights the company’s commitment to ensuring its vehicles perform optimally in the most challenging conditions. The IONIQ 5 N is expected to deliver an exceptional balance between a fun-to-drive character and safety, solidifying its position as the first high-performance, mass-production all-electric N brand model. With the global debut of the IONIQ 5 N scheduled for July, enthusiasts and potential buyers can anticipate further details about the vehicle in the coming months.
