Hyundai Ioniq 5 N TA Spec Outperforms Tesla Model S Plaid On Pikes Peak

Driver Randy Pobst says Hyundai’s entry has better performance than the modified Tesla Model S Plaid he set records with previously.

Each year, drivers and automakers compete in the 13-mile Pikes Peak International Hill Climb near Colorado Springs. This race encompasses 156 turns and an elevation climb of nearly 5,000 feet. Over the past 100+ years, the climb has proven a major challenge for engineering traditional combustion engines. And in recent years, electric vehicles have made their mark as well by pushing the limits of electric powertrains.

After recently taking a look at Ford’s entry with the amazing F-150 Lightning Supertruck, YouTube channel Out of Spec turned its gaze to this year’s electric entry from Hyundai. The high-performance Hyundai Ioniq 5 N deserves a lot of attention for what it doesn’t bring to the competition. Because while the Lightning Supertruck competing at Pikes Peak is an absolute beast, it has very little in common with the production version. However, Hyundai is running two versions of their car. One is a more heavily modified Ioniq 5 N TA Spec version. The other is essentially a stock version of the Ioniq 5 N. Both vehicles are built on the bones and powertrain of the production car.

”They’re running Pike’s Peak in literally an off-the-shelf Ioniq 5.” Kyle describes the nearly stock Ioniq 5 as being basically right off the dealership lot. There are a few modifications including a roll cage, a stripped interior, and other changes to reduce weight and meet race regulations and requirements. But the dash, driver display, suspension, drivetrain and tires are a match with a factory. 

The suspension was softened with the stock adaptive damper to better manage the rough road surfaces. The Ioniq 5 N’s ‘Grin Boost’ is left on and the car is kept in N Mode at all times, de-activating the gearshift. The only major hardware addition was external speakers to generate the Ioniq 5 N’s digital revving sound. All other changes were done for typical safety and weight reduction.

“We really liked the performance of the car,” Explained Hyundai’s Jun Mo Le. “So we thought ‘What if we bring it to Pikes Peak?’ So the main purpose of the production unit is to showcase the performance and potential of the car as in production condition. So we did no hardware change, we just did a little bit of software tweak.”

As a result, these minor software tweaks are entirely feasible on a stock Ioniq 5 N. Kyle suggests that somewhere down the line, owners could see these changes reflected in their own vehicles via a software update. That would certainly be nice for N owners, but we’ll just have to wait and see if anything ever materializes from it.

This year, Randy Pobst will be driving the more heavily modified Ioniq 5 N TA Spec for Hyundai. Kyle recently spoke with Randy, who said the Tesla Model S Plaid Randy drove in the past was always running into thermal limits. “The car was overheating and he was having to drive around those limits. The Plaid would de-rate after 3 minutes Randy said.” This is the same limitation most EV entries had to deal with in prior years. But the Ioniq 5 competitors making their debut at Pikes Peak this week can run full power for the duration of the climb.

The TA Spec car still makes use of the same battery, body, motors and cooling as the stock car. However, the brakes and suspension did get an upgrade.

The most extensive changes visually are from to the aero package. When at higher elevations, the car’s aerodynamic design is less impactful due to the lower air density. “So you need big ‘wangs’,” Says Kyle. “Not just wings, but ‘wangs.’”

This is a pretty impressive showing for Hyundai. We’re interested in seeing just how these vehicles compare with some of the more custom entries in today’s race. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Read more