Polestar 3, Polestar 5 prototypes and Ioniq 5 N showcased at Goodwood festival of speed

The Goodwood festival of speed is on and with that multiple brands are launching new EV models at the iconic event in the UK, with the hope that they will gel with potential future buyers.

Polestar has displayed two new prototypes, the 3 and the 5, while Hyundai has also rolled out the “N” performance version of its highly regarded and award winning Ioniq 5 electric SUV.

“We love showing our latest prototypes to the public at Goodwood. With production now starting in the first quarter of 2024, it’s time for Polestar 3 to take its first-ever run up the famous Hill,” Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath said in a statement.

“The SUV for the electric age looks fantastic and will be an exceptional car to own. The latest Polestar 5 verification prototype is here, too. Developed in the UK, Goodwood is like home turf for our electric 4-door GT.”

The variants on display were:

• Polestar 3 electric SUV, with a 380 kW powertrain
• Polestar 5 prototype with 650 kW powertrain
• Polestar 2 BST edition

The Polestar 3 is also expected to be popping up in Polestar Spaces in the coming months.

The next key showcase was by Hyundai, which unveiled the performance-orientated Ioniq 5 N performance edition. The “N” vehicles are traditionally the performance variants of Hyundai’s ICE vehicles that are offered globally. 

As the brand works through its ambitious EV transition plans, it makes sense for the N variants of its all-electric models to head in that direction as well. 

This model was first teased last month at the Nürburgring track in Germany before being fully showcased at Goodwood this week.

With its performance focus, the N edition offers up to 478 kW of power. The tuned version of the car is thanks to various changes to the powertrain setup. 

Image: Hyundai

To put this power down, there is a battery precondition function on the car that has two modes, “Drag” mode and a “Track” mode. In the “Drag” mode, maximum power is delivered meanwhile the “Track” mode, the car is set for endurance to do more laps in the right conditions.

“Starting with Ioniq 5 N, the N brand aims to deliver N’s signature fun driving experience regardless of petrol, electric or hydrogen,” said Till Wartenberg, Vice President and Head of N Brand and Motorsport at Hyundai.

The performance of this version is showcased with the numbers. 0-100 km/h sprint can be achieved in just 3.4 seconds. It can also achieve top speeds of up to 260 km when on the track.

On top of that, the battery pack is also upgraded to now feature 84 kWh capacity. That’s up from the 77 kWh pack offered on the standard cars.

It’s good to see performance variants of these vehicles making their way to appeal to a broader motorsport-oriented crowd. This hopefully showcases that EVs can not only keep up but outperform ICE vehicles that have traditionally dominated the motorsports scene.

Ioniq 5 N edition specifications

Keyword: Polestar 3, Polestar 5 prototypes and Ioniq 5 N showcased at Goodwood festival of speed