Hyundai Ioniq 5 N NPX1 Teases a New Extreme for EV Performance
The Ioniq 5 N already looked extra spicy. Now it looks like there’s going to be an even more hardcore level of performance.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N promises to be a cool new entry in the rapidly evolving arena of electric, non-luxury performance cars. On Wednesday morning, the Korean automaker dropped a teaser of an even hotter version: The NPX1. Looks like we'll be seeing OEM performance parts for the Ioniq 5 N, or a top-rung variant above it, or both, very soon.
We don't always bother talking about teasers, but despite the dark and dramatic lighting, this quick video shows off some super cool body components on an Ioniq 5 N. I'm not entirely sure if NPX1 will be a super-sports version of the Ioniq N, or if it's just the name of a concept that will appear to show off a catalog of upgrade parts. But either way, consider us interested.
The Ioniq N is coming out of the gate claiming blistering performance. It's been spotted dialing in on the Nurburgring, with power output at over 600 horsepower, and zero-to-60-mph time under 3.5 seconds. I'm not sure how much faster any car needs to be, but hey, there are always tweaks to be made—and there's nothing wrong with running a big wing for fun anyhow.
As for NPX1 details, looks like aggressive bodywork on the front and rear valances, some kind of fender vent, and of course, the spoiler coming off the top. I have to remind myself that the Ioniq 5 isn't a hot hatch, though it looks like one without the context of smaller cars being parked near it.
One other aspect of the YouTube upload I noticed is the tag "#NPerformanceParts." That has me optimistic about the idea of Hyundai doing some kind of factory-available upgrade program for its electric N performance cars, which would be cool. There's no doubt that electric cars are capable of incredible speeds, but we still haven't seen a wealth of ways to personalize EVs. I'm excited for anything that looks remotely like an EV modding opportunity.
Hyundai is indicating that more details will drop on Jan. 12 at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon. We'll dive into more details then.
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