Are all electric cars boring? Hyundai would beg to differ, as it claims the Ioniq 5 N is truly fun, despite being a heavy car that has done away with the internal combustion engine. Touted as a “corner rascal,” the first electric N proved its worth in a hot lap of the Nürburgring with Sport Auto’s test driver Christian Gebhardt behind the wheel.
He completed a lap of the Green Hell in 7 minutes and 45.59 seconds, making it only 2.6 seconds slower than the BMW M2 CS (F87 generation) piloted by the same driver. Christian Gebhardt had previously crossed the finish line in 2020 while driving the rear-wheel-drive Bavarian sports coupe, completing the Nordschleife lap in 7 minutes and 42.99 seconds.
It’s worth noting that the hot EV was equipped with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, while the previous-gen M2 came fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. Enthusiasts would be correct in stating that the BMW is still the superior driver’s car, but there’s no denying that the Ioniq 5 N is a genuine effort to make electric cars exciting to drive and properly fast. Speaking of which, it reached speeds of up to 163 mph (262 km/h) on the straights.
The fact that we’re even comparing a larger crossover with a thoroughbred sports coupe is a feat in itself. That said, the gap between the Ioniq 5 N and the new M2 is more significant, as the G87-generation model driven by BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger completed the challenging course in 7 minutes and 38.71 seconds last year. Looking ahead to 2025, a new M2 CS is likely to shave off a few seconds from the ‘Ring lap time.
What comes after the Ioniq 5 N? Hyundai could be working on an Ioniq 6 N, envisioned as a sedan equivalent that will reportedly pack even more power. The RN22e concept appeared to be a preview of a potential subsequent production model. If planned, the spicy electric sedan is expected to be even sharper than the crossover, thanks to its lower center of gravity.
BMW is also working on a high-performance electric M car, an M3-like sedan expected to arrive in the latter half of the decade, accompanied by an X3-esque counterpart.
