The Ioniq 5 eN1- Hyundai's first-ever electric concept cup race car, has been quite the spectacle at the N Festival in South Korea last night. If you're a fan of racing rubber, lowered sports suspension and enormous wings, this is something right up your alley.
As part of the celebrations to honor Hyundai's racing achievements around the world, it showcased its existing racers but also revealed concept images of its new machine - potentially spelling out what we could see from our future competition cars.
New Aggressive Body Kit & Massive Air Intakes
The Ioniq 5
eN1- Hyundai’s concept cup race car for 2024 looks extremely aggressive, with a
body kit that has resulted in large air intakes, massive wheels, a front
diffuser, and an enormous rear wing.
This is not
some gentle EV sitting in the garage next to your steam-powered beast: this is
serious stuff - no surprise given it comes from the same company as runs rally
and WRC programs.
It rides on
18-inch wheels wrapped in 280/680 R18 slick tires. It features stiffer
suspension setup than a road-going Ioniq 5 and its ride height has been lowered
by almost three inches.
Stopping
power comes courtesy of six-piston callipers up front and four-piston versions
at the rear. There are options for quick lifting through air jacks between
races as well as for recharging if you plan to take part in long-distance
events such as endurance races!
A six-point FIA-compliant roll cage helps protect whoever’s driving this amazing piece of machinery while upgraded battery protection should make potential pops less likely to be total disasters!
The Ioniq 5 eN1 is 250 Kgs Lighter!
While
details are still being disclosed regarding the exact development of the racing
car, it has shed up to 551 pounds (250 kg).
While
that’s impressive in its own right, few aspects about the Ioniq 5 eN1 Cup have
gone unchanged since our last check-in. The competition machine sees its side
and rear glass replaced with lightweight polycarbonate.
For context, a standard street-legal Ioniq 5 N weighs an estimated at roughly 4,650 lbs (2,109 kg).
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The Car also Features a Slew of Hardware Changes
The Ioniq 5
eN1 also features a slew of hardware changes. These include adjustable
suspension with spherical-joint pillowball mounts, as well as disconnectors
designed to ensure that the vehicle’s battery does not overheat during a race.
The eN1 is
equipped with team-specific fake engine sound settings, although unlike the
production-spec Ioniq 5 where this feature is available only to passengers
inside, these are intended for use by racing teams wanting to add their own
flavours or personalities when running in series events.
Meanwhile, drivers piloting an Ioniq 5 eN1 have the ability to simulate gear changes using its N E-Shift function — which mimics how it would feel to shift through gears on an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
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The Bottom Line
In all, the
Ioniq 5 eN1 is a culmination of what Hyundai has been working towards with its
first real sporty EV. The standard Ioniq 5 isn’t really geared toward racing,
but the upcoming eN1 sure is.