Hands up everyone who wants a high-performance mid-engined Hyundai electric racing car? Oh, quite a lot of you...
RM20e gets mid-mounted electric motor
Hyundai has created this, the RM20e Racing Midship Sports Car, to test future technologies for upcoming electric cars, especially sporty ones. Based on the current Veloster eTCR electric touring car racer, the RM20e gets a mid-mounted electric motor developing a whopping 810hp and 960Nm of torque. The RM20e is getting a public debut at the Beijing motor show, one of the very few 2020 motor shows to actually go ahead.
"Our new electrified RM20e pushes the proven RM platform forcefully into a new, environmentally-focused decade of the 21st century, stretching the performance envelope of electrification on normal road environments," said Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research and Development Division at Hyundai Motor Group. "RM20e represents a revolutionary new chapter of electrified performance for the Racing Midship series, and our N engineers continue to garner valuable insights in the arena of zero-emission performance dynamics."
0-100km/h in less than 3 seconds
Biermann knows what he's talking about - he's a former BMW M engineer, and his new creation can accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds, and hit 200km/h in just 9.88 seconds. According to Hyundai, thanks to mounting all its major powertrain components in a 'mid-engined' style: "The RM20e combines racecar-like levels of performance, balance, braking and grip while retaining daily-driver quietness, responsiveness and road-going capability."
"The RM20e sports car prototype clearly signals future electrified brand aspirations for Hyundai's performance N brand, moving N into the prestigious genre of supercar-level performance," said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Head of Product Division at Hyundai Motor Group. "Moving forward, Hyundai N not only increases drivers' heartbeats per minute via powerful internal combustion engines, but also through the instantaneous torque and environmental sustainability of reliable electrified powertrains. RM20e proves that N driving excitement will not be compromised, even in electrified model variants."
44 new 'eco-friendly' models
It's all part of Hyundai's plans to launch 44 new 'eco-friendly' models (which means a mix of full EVs and plugin-hybrids) by 2025, many of which will also have sporting N-badged versions. Hyundai says that electric power means that in spite of being all about high-performance, the N-brand can be at the "forefront of environmental responsibility."