Concluding its N Day 2022 presentation last Friday, South Korean automaker Hyundai unveiled two “rolling lab” concepts under its “N” sub-brand which produces high performance vehicles. These include the extremely wild-looking N Vision 74 and the all-electric RN22e, which is essentially a racing-tuned version of the recently launched Ioniq 6 EV.
Among the two, the Hyundai N Vision 74 is definitely the bigger highlight. Firstly, it is a performance-grade hybrid vehicle that is powered by hydrogen and electric. And secondly, it is also a stunning homage to the company’s Hyundai Pony Coupe concept from 1974, which was designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Enthusiasts will immediately recognise Giugiaro’s name as he is the very same car designer who brought us several iconic cars such as the 1967 Maserati Ghibli, the 1976 Lotus Esprit S1, and the 1981 DMC DeLorean. Though the concept itself is not designed by the designer himself, designs inspired from the Pony Coupe and, especially, the DeLorean are noticeable on the N Vision 74 – save for the lack of gullwing doors.
Also featured on the vehicle is a racing body kit, complete with a front splitter, side intakes and a large rear spoiler, among other things. The unique square LED head and tail lights featured on the Heritage Series Pony and Ioniq 5 EVs make a return on this concept car as well. In terms of dimensions, Hyundai says the N Vision 74 comes in at 4,952 mm long, 1,995 mm wide, and has a wheelbase of 2,905 mm.
Internally, the performance vehicle concept is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid system. This consists of two tanks that are capable of holding 4.2 kg of hydrogen, a 85 kW fuel cell stack, a 62.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, and two electric motors that power the car’s rear wheels. The latter is said to be capable of generating 670 hp (500 kW) and 900 Nm of torque, enabling it to achieve a top speed of over 250 km/h and hitting 0 – 100 km/h at about four seconds.
Most interestingly, the N Vision 74 is also designed to function as an all-electric, with the ability to charge its batteries via a plug-in system that supports 800V fast charging. This mode, of course, sacrifices the additional charge gained from the hydrogen system, which also cuts down on its maximum range. On that note, Hyundai says the vehicle is capable of covering 600 km of range with full hydrogen tanks and a fully charged battery.
However, as exciting as this concept is, the South Korean car company says it won’t be manufacturing a production version of the Hyundai N Vision 74 – much like its Heritage Series Pony that was unveiled last year. Instead, its engineers will use the vehicle to advance the development of Hyundai’s technologies so they can be incorporated into future N-branded road cars.
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