The Ioniq 5 N is one of the few electric vehicles out there that appeals to enthusiasts, and Hyundai is about to make it even more exciting. Debuting at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon later this week, the NPX1 will be a race-ready version of the high-performance EV. At least that’s the vibe we’re getting after analyzing these surprisingly revealing teasers.
You can tell it’s far from the ordinary Ioniq 5 N by the size of the rear wing. We took the liberty to alter the brightness and exposure of the official images to unlock more details. The NPX1 appears to have a comprehensive body kit with wild aero judging by the massive front splitter and rear diffuser. Attached below, the video seems to show carbon mirror caps along with other tweaks, including blue brake calipers.
In case it looks familiar, there’s a good reason for that. At the N Festival held in South Korea last month, Hyundai showed images of an Ioniq 5 eN1 Cup car. It’s unclear whether we’re dealing with the same car but that one too had a beefy body kit, among other things. It shed as much as 551 pounds (250 kilograms) over the road-going Ioniq 5 N and had an adjustable suspension that dropped the ride height by 2.8 inches (71 millimeters) compared to the production model.
The race car got 18-inch wheels with 280/680 R18 slick tires along with six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers. It had polycarbonate side and rear windows, an air jack, a six-point FIA-compliant roll cage, and a kill switch in case the battery overheats.
It would seem Hyundai N wants to take the Ioniq 5 N racing in what will be South Korea’s first one-make EV competition. Development is expected to end next month, and the eN1 Cup car is scheduled to hit the track as early as May. Drivers will apparently be allowed to simulate gear changes by using the N E-Shift function that acts like an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic.
In the meantime, the NPX1 will break cover at the Tokyo Auto Salon on January 12.
