Keiichi Tsuchiya drifts an EV for the first time at the wheel of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which calls “playful” and “so fun”
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Hyundai recently unveiled its first fully electric high-performance vehicle, the Ioniq 5 N, and showed it off at a drift exposition in Australia. To really show off its latest creation, it also handed the wheel over to drift legend Keiichi Tsuchiya, who had a go in the sporty new EV.
In a new video, Tsuchiya shares some of his impressions of the car, which he admits he had low expectations for. He says that he wasn’t anticipating too much for a few reasons, chief among which was that there are “not many sports-type cars from Korea” in Japan yet.
In addition, he mentions that this was his first time drifting an electric vehicle. Beyond the old stereotypes about electric motors, he also suggests that he was concerned about the weight of the car. However, he says he was pleasantly surprised by it.
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Read: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N To Make Drifty Aussie Debut At World Time Attack Challenge
“The most surprising was the agility, which is unthinkable for a car weighing 2,200 kg [4,850 lbs],” he said. “While driving, I thought it would weigh roughly 1,800 [3,968 lbs] to 1,900 kg [4,189 lbs], but when I returned to the pit, I was surprised to learn that it actually weighed 2,200 kg.”
As can be seen from the footage, Tsuchiya got along quite well with the EV, managing to induce long, controlled drifts around the Australian track. Indeed, once out of the car, his smiling eyes can be seen through his helmet.
“It was so fun that the rear of the car moves quite well,” he said. “While driving, I thought, ‘Oh, they’re making playful cars.’ This is my changed impression about Hyundai Motors.”
Powered by high output electric motors at the front and rear, the Ioniq 5 N offers all drivers, not just Tsuchiya, 641 hp (478 kW/650 PS), with a rearward bias. That’s enough to get it off the line and up to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.4 seconds, and onto a top speed of 162 mph (260 km/h).
To help it around corners, it comes with an N Torque Distribution system with a Torque Kick Drift function that allows the driver to simulate a clutch kick and induce a drift. Meanwhile, to slow its 4,850 lb (2,200 kg) mass down, Hyundai equipped it with its most powerful brakes. It all comes together to create an driftable and fun car worthy of the N brand name.
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