Hyundai will continue to offer electric performance cars as it moves its EVs onto a new-generation architecture and they will be “even more realistic” than the current Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N.
Hyundai’s sporting EVs have won acclaim for not just their driving dynamics and performance but also the perceived authenticity of their synthesised engine notes and gearboxes – the latter of which other manufacturers, including Honda and Porsche, have now moved to emulate in their own latest hot EVs.
Manfred Harrer, who heads global R&D for Hyundai, told Autocar he is “super-proud” of the virtual gearshift function and said the brand plans to develop it further for the next iteration.
“We are leading – we are not following – on this technology,” he said. “In the next generation of these cars, I want to make it even more realistic. I want to enhance it further.”
He did not give any clues as to what to expect, but said “idling, exhaust backfiring” and “vibration in the car” could be defining characteristics that would “bring in the next level” of engagement.
The move is in keeping, he said, with the N division’s prioritisation of driving fun over outright technical and performance supremacy.
“There are so many ideas how you can advance it further, but this is all about experience,” he said. “A lot of people say it’s fake, but people like it so there is some beauty – and why not play around with it?
“We are not the serious Porsche guys. We are fun to drive. We made a great movement and over the years we will enhance it – and the next platform gets this. The demos are already running.”
The next platform he referred to is the ‘IMA’ architecture that is due to be introduced across the Hyundai line-up in the coming years as the replacement for the current E-GMP structure.
No precise timeline for its introduction has been announced, but Harrer said: “E-GMP was introduced in 2021 and we’ll go through a normal life cycle, and the next one is already in development.”
The Ioniq 5 was the first car to use E-GMP and will be up for replacement in around 2028, which could be the first outing for IMA.
This new platform will be used as the basis for “enhanced N cars”, added Harrer, in line with Hyundai’s push to “still be the leader in this segment”. However, he did not say which model lines would have performance versions.