Hyundai has unveiled the RN24, a bare-bones rolling lab that uses motorsport-inspired tech to preview the “near future” of the brand’s high-performance EVs.
Based on the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5 N but 340mm shorter, thanks to a redesigned battery pack, the concept pairs its sibling’s 641bhp, 546lb ft dual-motor set-up with a lightweight, WRC-inspired chassis.
This was part of a brief “to fit the most powerful EV powertrain into the smallest possible package”.
That set-up, along with its exoskeleton-style exposed roll cage, leaves the car weighing 1880kg, 355kg lighter than the Ioniq 5 N, while matching its 3.4sec 0-62mph sprint time. It’s limited to 149mph.
“This rolling lab is not just a test vehicle; it’s a platform for initiating new conversations about next-generation high-performance EVs,” said Hyundai.
Much of the RN24’s bodywork (albeit limited) is shared with the incoming Hyundai Inster, opening the possibility of a Inster N in the future.
The concept draws power from an 84kWh battery pack, the same size as found in the Ioniq 5 N, where it’s good for 278 miles of range. Given the concept’s usage, Hyundai has boosted its battery and motor cooling.
Hyundai has also equipped the RN24 with a next-generation WRC-derived software system, as well as a large rear wing and faster steering, to maximise agility and control for “rally car-level response”.
As part of that, the concept gets a Rally Mode, which electronically simulates the technical (and mechanical) four-wheel drive system used by the i20 N Rally1 to optimise torque distribution to the wheels.
This, Hyundai says, shows that complex systems can be streamlined and made cost-effective in EVs, enabling “a more realistic application in future production cars”.
