Hyundai's N division working on EV concept, future electrified models
Hyundai Motor Group's R&D boss, Albert Biermann, says electrification is definitely in the cards for the N brand.
Electric N models? Hyundai says they're in the works.
Hyundai's N performance arm is slowly but surely ramping up. The division recently launched the Veloster N here in the US, as well as the sporty, N-Line version of the Elantra GT .
Looking ahead, Hyundai Motor Group's head of research and development, Albert Biermann, expects a whole range of sporty N-badged models to arrive in the coming years. But he also knows that electrification has to be part of the plans in order to succeed in the future.
"We are already working on electrified prototype cars," Biermann told Roadshow at Hyundai's R&D headquarters in Namyang, South Korea, on Friday. The hard part, he says, is "how to transfer the craziness of N into electrification."
Biermann says the N division is "working already on some ideas and concept cars," the latter of which will preview performance-minded takes on electrified architecture. "We have everything available," Biermann notes, saying N can pull from the greater hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full-electric knowledge and resources from the Hyundai Motor Group portfolio.
Regardless of powertrain type, Biermann says a key goal for N is "expanding into segments where we have not been yet." This means we could see anything from N-badged SUVs to more pint-size offerings -- Biermann admits he'd like to see a "smaller N car than what we have now."
There's no telling when N's electric plans will come to fruition, though it sounds like a concept car isn't too far off. Consider our interest piqued.
