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Hyundai performance boss hints at an Ioniq Electric N

There have been rumblings about what's next for Hyundai's N performance brand, and its chief has just dropped a big hint: a souped-up electric vehicle. Maybe an Ioniq Electric N hatchback? Sure sounds like it. Automotive News got Albert Biermann, head of vehicle testing and high-performance development for Hyundai and Kia, to spill the beans. "When we think of cars after 2021 for N, I think we cannot avoid electrification," he said. "We will have an EV sooner or later. It's just a matter of timing." Hyundai's N brand is still in its relative infancy. The Veloster N will be the only model available in the U.S., and it doesn't go on sale until later this year. It joins the Europe-only i30 Fastback N and i30 N hatchback, the former of which debuts in October at the Paris auto show and hits showrooms in Europe by the end of the year. Biermann said a fourth N model was already in his long-term budget and could be an SUV, which aligns with previous reports suggesting it could be either a 247-horsepower Kona N or a 271-hp turbocharged Tucson N. An electric N would be a surprise fifth model, and it could happen soon. "There's a car within the next two or three months that we probably have a chance to show to Vice Chairman Chung (Eui-sun) and our top management," Biermann told Automotive News. "Depending on what is the current mood and situation, we might get a spontaneous 'OK, go for it.'" The Hyundai Ioniq Electric boasts a 136 MPGe rating and a driving range of 124 miles from its 28.0 kWh battery. But it makes only 118 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque, so an N version would presumably upgrade those latter figures. By way of comparison, the Veloster N, which goes on sale later this year, delivers 275 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while the specs on the standard Veloster are 147 hp and 132 lb-ft for the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 201 hp and 195 lb-ft for the 1.6-liter turbo-four that powers the Turbo model. Biermann suggests an electric N would have an improved battery, bigger motor and inverter with more power. If Biermann's abbreviated timeline projection holds true, it sounds like we'll know more soon. Related Video:

Hyundai outlines EV strategy as it struggles with cost of engine defects

SEOUL — South Korea's Hyundai Motor pledged to boost sales of electric vehicles to over half a million by 2025 as part of a bid to focus on new technologies and catch up with rivals, but some analysts saw the target as conservative and warned of the costs. The announcement by Hyundai, the world's fifth largest car maker along with affiliate Kia Motors, underscores the accelerating strategy shift under Euisun Chung, who became the motor group's executive vice chairman last year. Hyundai announced a $35 billion investment last week in mobility and other auto technologies by 2025, less than a month after unveiling a $1.6 billion deal to develop self-driving vehicle technologies with Aptiv. The firm said on Thursday it plans to launch 16 EV models by 2025 to boost sales of such vehicles 17-fold to 560,000 by that year. Still, that would be equivalent to just over 10% of its projected global sales this year. The projection compares with more bullish forecasts offered by its bigger rivals. Volkswagen AG expects to make 22 million EVs over the next decade, while General Motors aims to sell 1 million EVs annually by 2026. "That is not an ambitious target. If Hyundai fails to boost volumes fast enough, costs of electric cars will weigh on profitability," Lee Jae-il, an analyst at Eugene Securities & Investment. Hyundai said that the EV market would face intensifying competition and oversupply soon and automakers failing to meet toughening European emissions regulations will face heavy penalties and suffer a serious blow to their reputation. "EV supply is expected to surpass demand from the second half of next year," Ka Suk-hyun, vice president of Hyundai Motor, told an earnings conference call. Quality issues Hyundai's third-quarter net profit rose 59% to 427 billion won ($365 million), well below the average 684 billion profit estimate of analysts based on Refinitiv data, due to 600 billion won provisions it earmarked to address potential engine defects in the United States and South Korea. Quality issues have been a major drag in Hyundai's attempt to steer a recovery from six consecutive annual profit declines and constrained its financial firepower to invest in future technologies. It is still under investigation by U.S regulators and prosecutors over potential faulty engines in some models. Total retail sales fell 3% in the third quarter, as higher U.S.

Hyundai opens up European Test Centre at N"urburgring

Anyone who's anyone among automakers tests at the Nürburgring, and the latest to join them is Hyundai. After fifteen months of construction and a €6.6-million investment - just shy of $9M USD - the Korean automaker has finally completed its new trackside testing center that was initially announced back in January.
Hyundai's new European Test Centre encompasses nearly 40,000 square feet of floor space on four levels in a glass and steel building that houses workshops, offices and hospitality areas. Acting as an extension of the company's European R&D center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new Nürburgring test center will allow Hyundai to conduct more regular and rigorous testing around the 73 corners and 13 miles of tarmac that make up the famous racetrack - definitely a good thing for a powerhouse brand that still sometimes fumbles when it comes to the dark arts of suspension and steering tuning.