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In the words of Dewey from the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle: “The future is now, old man.” Although EVs with artificial noises are not a novelty, Hyundai is trying to make them sound exciting for its first N model to do away with the combustion engine. A new teaser video of the Ioniq 5 N shows the high-performance electric crossover on the streets of Seoul as well as on the track at the company’s Namyang R&D center.
We get a first taste of what Hyundai meant when it said the sporty EV would have a “virtual shift mode” by pulling both paddles located behind the steering wheel to artificially change gears. Executive Technical Advisor Albert Biermann previously mentioned the idea is to mimic the jolt and downshift vibrations you get from an i30 N equipped with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
As for the noises you’re hearing, these are part of the N Sound Plus to imitate the raspy exhaust of an ICE-powered sports car. We even hear pops and bangs at one point but perhaps the most realistic noise is when the driver downshifts and the revs go higher. Artificially, of course. If these don’t tickle your fancy, Hyundai said future over-the-air updates will allow owners to upload their own fake noises.
Beyond the gimmickry – which also includes a drift mode briefly demonstrated in this video – the Ioniq 5 N will get standard all-wheel drive with dual motors making a combined output of roughly 600 horsepower. It’s also getting an evolution of Hyundai’s battery tech with improved energy density without a physical increase in size for the pack. The new flagship version will also usher in a rear wiper that will be added to the lesser trim levels.
Hyundai has already announced it will showcase the Ioniq 5 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in mid-July, with sales likely to start before the end of the year. As for price, prepare to fork out more money than the $61,600 Kia wants for the EV6 GT.
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