There was a time when the words “electric car” conjured visions of soulless pods silently shuffling about, favored by those who enjoy a well-organized weekend and take their coffee just as seriously. Thankfully, that era is over. And in its place arrives the Hyundai RN24 - a concept car so unhinged, it’s essentially a rally car with a laptop for a brain and a PhD in sideways lunacy.
Let's not pretend this thing is subtle. It looks like a video game glitched and spat out a sci-fi Frankenstein. Angular, aggressive, and unmistakably furious. But don’t let the concept-car clothes fool you - underneath all that futuristic cosplay lies the snarling hardware of Hyundai's infamous Ioniq 5 N. We’re talking 641 brake horsepower. In an EV.
That’s more power than a Ferrari 458 Italia, except this thing doesn’t care about elegance or pedigree - it just wants to melt tyres and terrify passengers. It rockets from 0 to 62 mph in under 3.4 seconds, and if you’re wondering whether it handles like a giraffe on roller skates, think again.
This isn’t just an electric box with go-faster stripes. Hyundai has infused it with proper motorsport DNA. The wheelbase is trimmed down, making it as compact as their WRC i20 Rally1 hybrid. There’s a torque-splitting Rally Mode that lets you decide just how sideways you want to be at any given moment. And instead of a traditional handbrake, there’s a WRC-style electronic switch designed purely for maximum slidey chaos. Yes, it’s an EV that drifts - not because it can, but because it wants to.
And get this: it makes noise. Artificial, obviously - but very deliberate. There are speakers inside and out, pumping out cinematic growls and whines so you don’t feel like you’re driving a mute dishwasher. It may be electric, but it still shouts.
Hyundai calls the RN24 a “rolling lab.” I call it a warning. A message to every boring, battery-powered blob on the market: the fun isn’t gone, it’s just had a software update.
Will the RN24 go into production? Not likely - at least not in this exact form. But its spirit and madness will live on in Hyundai’s performance EVs of tomorrow. Which means the future may be electric indeed.
Want to Try Drifting Yourself?
Inspired by the RN24’s rubber-burning antics? We don’t blame you. At Driving Experience, we offer Drifting Experiences all over the UK - from beginner spins to full-blown sideways mastery. And with our gift vouchers, it’s the perfect way to treat the petrolhead (or electric powered head?) in your life.
Get in. Get sideways. Try not to scream.
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