Hyundai RN22e and N Vision 74: Manufacturer shows two exciting sports cars

Hyundai has only just revealed details of the new electric car IONIQ 6, when the in-house performance department “N” announced a sporty version of the sedan. And kick it up a notch with the impressive Hyundai N Vision 74 hybrid concept car.

Hyundai RN22e: That’s what’s behind the sporty IONIQ 6

If the fancy Hyundai IONIQ 6 e-sedan isn’t sporty enough for you yet, the Hyundai RN22e concept car may remedy that. The Korean company’s N division has now officially unveiled it at a press event.

The RN22e relies on the manufacturer’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and combines it with the streamlined body design of the IONIQ 6, with the concept said to offer performance ready for the track.

The concept is emblematic of the vision Hyundai’s N division is planning with its e-car line and is intended to show new possibilities for a high-performance e-car of the future. The somewhat unwieldy name stands for “rolling lab”, N, the development year 2022 and the categorization as an e-car.

The concept is powered by an all-wheel drive and comes with a 430 kW engine that delivers a maximum torque of 740 Nm. The 77.4 kW battery is taken from the IONIQ 6, as is its fast charging time of just 18 minutes for charging from 10 to 80 percent. Hyundai only gives a very rough indication of the top speed of over 250 km/h.

Hyundai N Vision 74: Electric homage to the 70s

Clearly more exciting, however, presents the second concept car that Hyundai has shown. Namely, the Hyundai N Vision 74, which is visually based on the Hyundai Pony Coupé concept from 1974.

The retro look, however, is offset by cutting-edge hybrid technology. The N Vision 74, for example, relies on an unusual electric drive system that combines a normal battery with a capacity of 62.4 kWh with an additional hydrogen combustion cell. The latter’s tank holds a total of 4.2 kg, while the hydrogen drive provides a net additional 85 kW, or even a maximum of 95 kW, of power.

While the conventional electric battery can be charged quickly thanks to 800 volts, the hydrogen cell is also fully charged in just 5 minutes. The result of the compound is a maximum output of over 500 kW, i.e. 680 hp with a torque of over 900 Newton meters.

Hyundai doesn’t give any acceleration figures, but they also talk roughly about a top speed of over 250 km/h. Despite this brute power, the car is said to have a top speed of over 250 km/h. Despite this brute performance, the Hyundai N Vision 74 concept car is said to be able to realize an impressive range of over 600 kilometers.

The angular design of the 4.952-meter-long concept car is reminiscent of classic Mucle cars and Asian sports cars from the 1970s. The manufacturer also took inspiration from the Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo unveiled at the IAA in Frankfurt in 2015, which also used hydrogen fuel cells to showcase the hybrid future of the automaker’s N series.

Availability: IONIQ 5 N to launch in 2023

While the Hyundai RN22e definitely has a great chance of reaching the market in this form, a potential launch of the N Vision 74 comes with pretty big question marks. As a first step for the IONIQ models in the N performance series, the sporty variant of the E-SUV, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, will kick off in 2023 and launch worldwide. The manufacturer plans to reveal further details at a later date.