It’s hard not to be intimidated sometimes, when it’s all come down to this: two laps in the Hyundai RN22e, the “Rolling” lab for Hyundai’s "N" performance brand, built in “2022”, and “electric” = RN22e; one of just two in existence, in the world. And we’ve been given the key. Except it’s a button.
It’s an imposing 4.9m long, there’s also a roll-cage, gutted interior, around 100 people watching on, including Hyundai’s engineer sitting in the passenger seat. Oh, we’re also doing our first laps at speed of the massive 7.77km GT track at The Bend, an hour east of Adelaide. And we’re out on track among the other N fans and faithful, in road i20 Ns, i30 Ns, Kona Ns and more, as part of the 2022 two-day N Festival.
And I’m first in. Nervous much?! Well, yes.
Nevertheless, from the right passenger seat, the factory engineer taps the buttons and modes and offers a few instructions, but otherwise remains silent – just like the car, a high performance EV. Except it’s not, because there’s a rather distinct, unique burble coming from the rear speakers, both inside and out that replicates ICE idle and revs, called N Sound+. And does a decent job of it, too.
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As a development model for the upcoming N EV models, notably the drivetrain for the Ioniq 5 N due late-2023, and the precursor body for the Ioniq 6 streamliner (and inevitable N model), it’s basically a peek into the realistic future. But it’s also the drivetrain from the Kia EV6 GT that’s out now. It’s a little confusing between present and future, so let’s just move on.
The N moniker, as we should know, is Hyundai’s performance sub-brand based around three pillars of cornering ability, everyday sports driving and exceptional race track performance.
Coming together as part of the big N Festival, held at The Bend motorsport park, an hour east of Adelaide, the RN22e is one of only two built to drive and drift; there’s also a third, but it’s a clay model.
With a rumoured air-freight invoice around $150,000 to ship the RN22e (for Rolling-lab, N, 2022, electric), the build up to be one of the handful of people lucky enough to drive the car was palpable.
Regularly fast charged at The Bend’s permanent charger, or the portable Hyundai 40kW charger sitting in the garage, the RN22e is topped up to 100 per cent before the door is welcomley opened.
Helmet on, it’s like sliding into a typical racecar with roll cage, stripped-out interior, comfy racing seat with four-point harness, Alcantara race-style steering wheel and tiny slivers of aero-friendly exterior mirrors. There is a concession to the road car, however, with the futuristic but still road-based Ioniq 6 dashboard, controls, digital gauges and even fully functioning air-conditioning.
Strapped in, the start button kicks the lights into life, while a few more taps here and there by the engineer brings up the manufactured burble of the emulated combustion engine: it’s muted, but certainly believable.
Exiting pitlane, making the most of every metre, the throttle is planted and it jumps away smooth and swift. Not intensely fast, just quick and relentlessly accelerating, typical of an EV. Having done 50 laps this morning in other N models, I confidently brake late, knowing the R-compound semi-slicks and massive 400mm front rotors will haul us up well before the corner, and the added corner grip does take a few corners to acclimatise that they offer probably a third more grip and corner speed than a road tyre. The engineer tries to discretely brace himself on the door handle.
It feels very planted through the first series of right-left-right corners, despite its 2.2 tonnes, and being rear-drive, there’s temptation to power on and slide, but all those nervous mental red flags are waving. It’s clearly the quickest N model on track today and as cars see us and dive out of the way, the RN22e rounds them up with ease, powering down the straights with wind and road noise taking over from any motor noise, artificial or otherwise. Is monsters the corners with immense grip, and as the engineer visibly relaxes.
There’s so much to take in, cars to pass and the new international track to learn that it’s a touch overwhelming, but the mental bullet points are huge grip, great balance and an overall ease to drive that really builds confidence and makes it fun. We hit the main straight for the first (and only!) time to stretch its legs. At the start-finish line, it’s pulling 190km/h versus 177km/h for the fastest road car of the day (an i30 N on Pirelli Corsa track tyres), and by the end, it’s pulling near 230km/h, against the 210km/h. Top speed, says Hyundai, is 260km/h, with the motors spinning at 20,000rpm. It’s fast, just not as fast as the looks and theatre suggests.
Heat is the issue with these motors, but former President & Head of R&D, Albert Biermann claims they choose only the best components, and that initial testing had it managing just one 21km lap of the Nurburgring, whereas now it can almost do three at race speed.
On that same straight, the engineer signals for me to tap the right shift paddle, and it enters N e-shift, a “manual” mode, of sorts: the dash brings up a tacho, and the “motor” now has simulated gears. It’s all a bit odd, but allows for a little more engine braking, aided by regenerative braking that also assists with yaw. It also needs more attention and diligence while accelerating, as it requires an eye on the tacho and a feel for the shifts, given it’s relatively silent – as it replicates hitting a rev-limiter in sound, vibration and halting progress.
Up through second-third-four gears, it’s actually no quicker than the full auto electric mode, but a little more involving from a driver’s sense. And takes a lot longer to get used to than our one 7.7km lap, half of which is a cool-down. But for novelty value and an added element, it’s a neat trick and with an auto-manual mode, could be ideal.
Though other drivers preferred this manual mode, for me, faster is better and the RN22e is a superbly fun, enjoyable and realistic prototype that’s quite close to the production model. Should be a great year for NZ N-thusiasts.
HYUNDAI RN22e
MOTORS: Twin electric motors (160kW front, 270kW rear), torque vectoring twin-clutch LSD
BATTERY: 77.4kWh, peak charge rate 240kW
POWER: 430kW/740Nm
0-100KM/H: Circa 3.2 secs
WEIGHT: 2200kg
MAX SPEED: 250km/h+
