Hyundai's Wild RN24 Packs Ioniq 5 N Power in a Tiny, Bare-Bones Machine

Hyundai is once again attempting to push the boundaries of performance EVs with its latest “N Day” creation, named the RN24. Unlike the on-again, off-again N Vision 74 that the whole world just wants to see in production, the RN24 is pure science fiction. If we’re lucky, though, some of the technologies within the RN24 will see the light of day.

This new “Rolling Lab” from Hyundai N is more like a rolling chassis, as it’s completely missing any sort of body. It has a front grille, sizable fenders and a rear wing, but the whole canopy is basically just a tubular structure. The idea here was to fit the most powerful EV powertrain into the smallest possible package.

It uses the Ioniq 5 N’s dual-motor setup and its 84 kilowatt-hour battery pack, all with enhanced cooling measures in place. The battery pack itself is redesigned to take up less space in the chassis, allowing it to be shoved into a vehicle the size of Hyundai’s tiny i20 WRC car. That gives you an EV with the power and energy capacity of the Ioniq 5 N – 641 horsepower – in a much smaller package, allowing for a 0-62 mph run in just 3.4 seconds. Curb weight sits at 4144 pounds, making it a little more than 700 pounds lighter than the 5 N.

The rally theme continues with a WRC-style suspension design, rally-spec dampers and a WRC Powertrain Drive Control Logic system. Said electronic system allows the driver granular control over all your vitals directly from the steering wheel. You can adjust power output/balance, acceleration sensitivity and regenerative braking power. Hyundai suggests its “Rally Mode” torque control system could become a reality for production cars one day; theoretically, a driver could simply adjust the front-to-rear torque bias using an electric motor torque control system.

Other bits on the RN24 helping it go fast include a new “e-Handbrake” (which replaces traditional hydraulic brake installations for rally driving), a big wing from its TCR models and 19-inch forged wheels stolen off the Elantra N. It lets the world know how fast it is via the Ioniq 5 N’s “external high-output sound system,” but that's augmented via two additional side speakers for even more noise. Plus, the rear fender design is meant to act like a soundbox to amplify the sound coming from the speakers, allowing it to carry even further.

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