Hyundai RN24 concept demonstrates its EV hot hatch future

It can’t be called a hot hatch, though, because there’s no tailgate. In fact, there’s hardly any bodywork at all. Looking more like a rollcage on wheels, there are just enough vestigial panels to incorporate a few styling cues from road-going Hyundais, such as the stylised lighting. This halfway house between competition cars and road machinery is, however, an indication of the company’s future direction when it comes to the kind performance cars you’ll see in showrooms in the coming years. Most likely with the addition of doors and windows.

The RN24 is the latest in a series of test cars that bridge the gap between motorsport technology and road cars, its predecessors being the RM of 2012 and the electric RN22e and N Vision 74 concepts. Hyundai capitalises the three pillars of N: Corner Rascal, Racetrack Compatibility and Everyday Sportscar, and says that it is using the unique qualities of an EV to create a fun and engaging driving experience. So far, so hot hatch.

It takes the 650PS (478kW) Ioniq 5 N dual motor powertrain and adds it to a WRC-inspired chassis. But sledgehammer power outputs are not the only thing this testbed is about. “RN24 exemplifies Hyundai N’s commitment to advancing electric motorsport technology by prioritizing the driving experience rather than spec numbers,” said Joon Park, Vice President of N Brand Management Group.

“This Rolling Lab proves that there remains untapped potential for high-performance EVs and with new technologies ahead, there is much to look forward to.”

The RN24 takes the production Ioniq 5 N’s 84kWh battery pack but reconfigures it for a 340mm shorter wheelbase. It brings the car down to B-segment proportions comparable with the i20 N Rally1 Hybrid World Rally Championship car. Corner rascals, indeed.

The WRC connection runs deeper than that, though. The RN24 has rally spec dampers and the same Powertrain Drive Control Logic system as the competition cars. This brings with it the facility for the driver to adjust systems via buttons on the steering wheel, including power output, acceleration sensitivity, regenerative braking sensitivity and power balance. 

Rally Mode torque control, similar to that in the WRC car, optimises distribution of torque to all four wheels but it uses electronics to mimmic the behaviour of the rally car’s mechanical set-up, making it more affordable for a production car application.

Further trickle down from the WRC includes the e-Handbrake, whch eliminates the need for physical brakes in processes such as side brake preheating using technology recently tested in the Central European Rally. The Elantra N 19-inch matte black forged wheels are from the N Performance Parts range while the wing comes from Hyundai Motorsport’s TCR racecars.

The soundtrack hasn’t been forgotten in Hyundai’s drive to enhance engagement. An external high-output system features two side speakers in addition to the Ioniq 5 N’s Active Sound+ set-up, while the rear bodywork acts as a soundbox to enhance the noise. Drivers may have to forgo the ‘luxury’ of a windscreen, but at least they’ll be closer to the synthesised sounds.