Porsche exec says driving Hyundai’s electric sports car was ‘eye-opening’

Porsche may take a page from Hyundai’s playbook after taking the IONIQ 5 N for a spin. After driving the electric sports car, a Porsche executive said it was “eye-opening” and hinted that it might steal a few fun features.

Porsche is impressed with Hyundai’s electric sports car

Who would’ve thought? Porsche is praising Hyundai for the work it’s done with the IONIQ 5 N, its electric sports car.

Frank Moser, Porsche’s vice president of the 911 and 718 model lines, called the IONIQ 5 N “eye-opening” after test-driving it several times.

“We learnt a lot from that. I drove it several times. They made it really, really good, Moser told Australian reporters (via The Drive) on the sidelines of the Icons of Porsche festival in Dubai.

Hyundai’s electric sports car also impressed Andreas Preuninger, head of Porsche’s GT line, who oversees street-legal race cars like the 911 GT3.

“It was eye-opening,” Moses said, adding, “I remember I drove it with Andy Preuninger, he’s my Mr GT.” Porsche’s execs were especially impressed with added features like N Grin Boost, which unlocks the vehicle’s full power for 10 seconds.

“We entered the car and I pressed the button [N Grin Boost], and he was ‘Wow’. They did something which was impressive,” Moses told reporters.

When N Grin Boost is activated, the IONIQ 5 N delivers up to 641 hp and 545 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in around 3.25 seconds.

The N Grin power boost is only one of the many features that Hyundai’s electric sports car offers. Other fun features like N e-Shift and N Active Sound + replicate the jerk-feeling and sounds of a high-performance internal combustion engine.

Virtual sounds and gear shifting, like the IONIQ 5, “is the way,” Moses said, but he urged drivers must be able to turn the feature off.

“The customer could decide if he wants to drive in complete silent mode, or he wants to be part of the game, feeling the virtual sounds of a flat six and the virtual gear shifts,” Moses told the media. He added, “That would be the direction for the future.”

Meanwhile, Hyundai’s second electric sports car, the IONIQ 6 N, made its North American debut last week. It’s about the same size as the Porsche Taycan, but the IONIQ 6 N is expected to cost about half as much.

Following the electric Cayenne, which made its debut last week, Porsche is expected to introduce the 718 Boxster and Cayman EVs next year as a 2027 model year.

Ready to take Hyundai’s electric sports car for a spin? Check out our link to find the Hyundai IONIQ 5, including the high-performance N trim, in your area.