There is good and bad news to share about the N model as Hyundai has announced the Elantra N will live to see the next generation with a petrol engine but the i30 N will not. The company’s Executive Technical Advisor Albert Biermann made the disclosure last weekend in an interview with CarExpert during the fourth annual edition of N Fest at The Bend Motorsports Park held in South Australia.
“The i30 N is quite safe, at least the sedan version, so we will see the next generation car with a new petrol engine, because it is already in our long term plans.” To clarify, the i30 N Sedan is the name Hyundai uses for the Elantra N in some markets, while in South Korea it is known as the Avante N.
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The future doesn’t look so bright for the ICE-powered i30 N hatchback, but not because of Hyundai. It was especially developed for Europe where emission regulations are stricter than elsewhere. With the much criticized Euro 7 standard coming into effect in the following years, Albert Biermann hinted that the N-badged gas cars in some markets would be discontinued:
“Other markets such as Europe are dreaming and there is a good chance there will be no more combustion N-engined cars in some markets with Euro 7 regulations looming.” This statement tells us that the Kona N crossover is also living on borrowed time in the European Union countries. The I20 N uses a smaller 1.6 liter engine, says Albert Biermann Car sell that it will not be stopped.
“So the i20 N engine, 1.6, of course, will survive – we use this engine in many applications as you know. The 2.0 liter engine will basically be discontinued – turbo – sooner or later, but I think we have a good replacement available, maybe not for all markets, but with the 2.5 turbo, I think we can still produce some nice and powerful N cars.”
Albert Biermann did mention the five-door i30 N will eventually be followed by an all-electric version, but that will take a while: “If we’re talking EV, then we could see an all-electric i30 N in the hatch with our B and C segment plans, but it may take time to get there, to get it right.”
Meanwhile, Hyundai is busy putting the finishing touches on the Ioniq 5 N which will be released in 2023. The newly launched Ioniq 6 will reportedly get the N treatment too in the not too distant future.
