If you happen to personal a 12,000-acre property referred to as Goodwood within the south of England close to the English Channel and the property has a reasonably storied racetrack inside its boundaries, naturally, you invite 150,000 folks a yr to go to. The occasion is now often known as the Goodwood Competition of Velocity, a celebration that features motor racing, a hill climb, and a common celebration of all the pieces automotive. It has additionally turn out to be a possibility for automakers to introduce their newest fashions in a approach that’s assured to garner essentially the most consideration from the media. This yr, Hyundai and Xpeng had been amongst those that took benefit of the glamour and glitz to current their newest EV choices.
Hyundai Ioniq 6 N Debut
Many producers have specialised high-performance variations of their normal choices, automobiles that outperform their strange friends by way of acceleration, cornering, and braking. Volkswagen and Honda use the letter R to determine their specifically tuned fashions. Many producers use the letter S to determine their efficiency automobiles. Hyundai has adopted the letter N for its particular fashions.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has been out for some time now. It options software program that simulates the sound and really feel of a traditional automobile with a handbook transmission. As my colleague Jennifer Sensiba defined, the Hyundai system is greater than a parlor trick. Primarily based on a video by Engineering Defined, she says, “The software program controls the electrical motor and will get it to actually act like an ICE engine in each state of affairs. It will possibly sound and really feel prefer it’s lugging when put right into a digital gear that’s too excessive. It will possibly punish you for getting the timing on a shift flawed.”
Hyundai has now utilized the N know-how to the Ioniq 6 to create an electrical street automobile with actually sporting intentions. Listed here are the bullet factors from the Ioniq 6 N press launch:
- Constructing on the success of the award-winning IONIQ 5 N, the IONIQ 6 N integrates cutting-edge applied sciences and capabilities derived from Hyundai N’s motorsport applications and “rolling lab” initiatives.
- The mannequin embodies Hyundai N’s core ideas — Nook Rascal, Racetrack Functionality and On a regular basis Sportscar — delivering distinctive dealing with and an aerodynamic design that ensures stability and confidence at excessive speeds.
- With an official 0–100 km/h time of simply 3.2 seconds (utilizing N Launch Management) and a prime pace of 257 km/h, the IONIQ 6 N is a formidable presence on each street and observe.
The automobile options absolutely redesigned suspension geometry, an improved N e-Shift system that “minimizes efficiency loss, plus higher sound high quality via up to date {hardware} and intensive acoustic fine-tuning, guaranteeing that each drive is each participating and immersive. By integrating these cutting-edge applied sciences, IONIQ 6 N not solely exemplifies Hyundai N’s pursuit of efficiency excellence but additionally alerts a vibrant future for EVs throughout the high-performance sector,” the corporate says.
“With IONIQ 6 N, Hyundai N goals to raise its choices, attractive drivers with electrical powertrains that supply high-performance fans an exciting new avenue to affect their ardour each on the street and the observe,” stated José Muñoz, the CEO of Hyundai Motor Firm. For a visible rationalization of the adjustments which have gone into the Ioniq 6 N, deal with your self to the video beneath. It’s 6 minutes lengthy and price each second of your time.
Batteries get scorching when requested to provide energy for exuberant driving. To handle the problem, the Ioniq N comes with a sophisticated battery cooling and preconditioning system — Battery N — that adapts to quite a lot of observe driving eventualities — drag, dash, or endurance racing. The combination of battery conditioning features results in increased and longer lasting efficiency. The optimized thermal administration management and an elevated capability within the battery coolant heater considerably scale back the preconditioning time so the automobile is all the time prepared to reply when the motive force toes the exhilarator pedal.
As a part of the efficiency improve, the redesigned suspension contains a decrease roll middle and incorporates electronically managed dampers (what some incorrectly consult with as shock absorbers) that let a variety of damping power changes to swimsuit various driving circumstances, from on a regular basis driving to on-track experiences. The result’s improved journey high quality and extra predictable, responsive dealing with beneath all circumstances.
“IONIQ 6 N combines formidable energy, subtle battery administration, aerodynamic mastery and superior suspension techniques to ship a compelling mix of pace, stability and luxury, setting new benchmarks in fashionable automotive engineering,” stated Manfred Harrer, who’s the pinnacle of auto growth know-how for Hyundai.
Press releases are sometimes breathless descriptions of reasonably mundane stuff, however the Hyundai presser makes for fascinating studying. If anybody is contemplating shopping for an Ioniq 6 N, this could make for fascinating studying:
IONIQ 6 N redefines the EV driving expertise via its in-house developed superior automobile management software program, optimized to reinforce each side of driver interplay with the automobile. Central to this interconnected expertise is the N Lively Sound + system, which brings a dynamic audio dimension to the driving expertise. Powered by a stereo sound supply and performance-enhanced Acoustic Design Processor (ADP) it delivers an enriched sound stage that makes every journey aurally immersive.
Drivers can select from bespoke sound modes tailor-made to particular moods and driving eventualities — from the motorsport impressed ‘Ignition’ to the heritage infused EV sound ‘Evolution’, and the futuristic sci-fi tones of ‘Lightspeed’. Every mode presents a charming auditory expertise.
Elevating the sense of efficiency even additional is N e-Shift, Hyundai N’s revolutionary shift management function. By simulating motorsport impressed shut gear ratios, N e-Shift heightens responsiveness and strengthens the motive force’s connection to the automobile. Now absolutely appropriate with key efficiency options together with — N Launch Management, N Drift Optimizer, N Grin Increase and N Torque Distribution — N e-Shift ensures a seamless integration of management and energy.
Including to the sensory expertise is the N Ambient Shift Mild, a novel inside lighting function that visually cues exact shift factors for optimum efficiency. This synchronized ambient glow transforms the cockpit into an area the place each gear change isn’t just felt however seen, additional enhancing driver immersion.
The N Observe Supervisor empowers drivers to tailor and analyze their on-track efficiency like by no means earlier than. This clever function permits customers to create customized tracks, monitor pace knowledge, and consider efficiency via actual time ghost automobile visuals and detailed lap time evaluation. By providing superior observe knowledge administration, N Observe Supervisor additional solidifies IONIQ 6 N as a track-capable EV engineered to satisfy a variety of efficiency calls for.
Complementing that is the N Drift Optimizer, which presents unparalleled management over the automobile’s drift traits. With customizable parameters for drift initiation, angle and wheel spin drivers can fine-tune the automobile’s habits to swimsuit their talent degree and driving fashion.
Collectively, these driver-focused options reveal Hyundai N’s dedication to delivering a flexible and exhilarating driving expertise. By pushing the boundaries of superior automobile management software program, the IONIQ 6 N opens new dimensions in driver engagement — for fans and on a regular basis drivers alike.
Effectively, it definitely appears Hyundai has a deal with on how one can enchantment to the tire shredding crowd. If you happen to embrace your self in that group, the Ioniq 6 N could also be simply what you might be searching for.
Xpeng At Goodwood
Xpeng additionally showcased its newest EV applied sciences at this yr’s Goodwood Competition of Velocity, however its focus was not on excessive efficiency however reasonably on new battery and driver help applied sciences. The spotlight of its presentation was the announcement of latest LFP battery know-how in an 800-volt format. The brand new battery makes use of no cobalt, manganese, or nickel, but can settle for as much as 451 kW of charging energy, which permits it to go from 10 to 80 p.c state of cost in simply 12 minutes.
Xpeng is taking battery security very severely. The brand new G6 in addition to the P7+ each function a “bulletproof-level battery protected by a 4-3-4 structural security framework and ballistic grade armor, able to withstanding excessive circumstances — together with 1,000°C warmth and 80 tons of aspect crush stress. Moreover, the battery lifespan has been elevated by 30%, assembly essentially the most stringent security requirements.” That’s definitely spectacular stuff, which is able to now encourage different EV producers to do the identical.
The corporate can be touting a brand new high-efficiency warmth pump that may warmth each the cabin and battery from -20°C to 40°C in slightly over 4 minutes, which reduces the lack of efficiency in chilly climate circumstances. Each the newest Xpeng G6 and Xpeng P7+ function superior driver help techniques powered by the Qualcomm 8295 processor.
The P7+ additionally incorporates the corporate’s newest imaginative and prescient for AI outlined mobility, which merges “government sedan” consolation with superior AI capabilities to satisfy the evolving expectations of recent drivers. Utilizing AI to handle each ADAS and cockpit settings are stated to “revolutionize the driving expertise, providing customers a seamless and personalised journey.” Gross sales at Xpeng have surged of late, a sign that its deal with superior know-how is discovering favor with clients.
Lagniappe For CleanTechnica Readers
The bulletins from Hyundai and Xpeng point out how rapidly EV know-how is bettering — and the way rapidly some corporations are falling behind. Earlier than we go, we thought you may get pleasure from a video of historic automobile racing at Goodwood, which has come to represent all that’s good, and proper, and true about motorsports. That is racing the place figuring out how one can muscle a automobile round a racetrack with fashion and aplomb is the one reward. Seat of the pants racing some may name it, shorn of digital aids and reliant solely on the sensory inputs that drivers get from their fingertips, toes, and buttocks. Take pleasure in!
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