N boss confirms "crazy" concept car will precede Korean brand’s first high-performance EV

Earlier this year Hyundai confirmed it has paid €80 million ($A130m) for a stake in Croatian company Rimac to access its coveted lightweight EV technology.

It was always assumed that it would lead to a high-performance supercar from the Korean brand.

Now Hyundai N chief Albert Biermann has confirmed it – but not before the brand unleashes a mad petrol-powered concept car.

During a keynote speech to introduce the next-gen Hyundai Tucson-previewing Vision T concept at the 2019 Los Angeles motor show this week, Biermann said work is already well underway on the development and testing of tyre-frying high-performance fuel-cell electric vehicle prototypes.

“We are developing high-performance battery-electric and fuel-cell electric prototypes in partnership with Rimac,” he said during the speech, in which he also said Hyundai would deliver 44 eco-friendly models worldwide by 2025.

“Our strategy prepares Hyundai N to meet the electrification and mobility challenges that all manufacturers will face in the years to come. For Hyundai these challenges create significant opportunities to demonstrate our leadership,” he said.

However, after the presentation carsales.com.au caught up with the former BMW M division chief and quizzed him over plans for an N-badged high-performance EV sports car.

“That’s a little bit further down the road,” he revealed. “But we have already cars running. We did already some exercises,” he smiled, no doubt referring to work with Rimac.

But the twist in the tale is that Hyundai’s high-performance czar is plotting something altogether traditional as the Korean brand continues to flex its EV muscle.

“There is a very crazy car coming next year — not for customers, a concept car,” he said.

Asked whether this vehicle was petrol-powered, the German engineer stated: “For now yes, later no”.

The fact Rimac engineers are working with Biermann’s hot-shop crew suggests things are going to get very heated.

Remember that Rimac supplied electric components for the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Porsche also owns 10 per cent of Rimac, which helped with the development of the Taycan.

Hyundai’s head of European design, Thomas Beurkle, previously told Automotive News that the Rimac investment would yield a “game-changer”.

Clearly backed by a big budget, it seems Hyundai N’s master plan is peppered with new performance products, including petrol, hybrid and EV sports cars.

Although a right-hand drive version of the new Hyundai Veloster N is yet to be confirmed, Kona N and Tuscon N models are in the pipeline, as well as a long-awaited automatic transmission for its inaugural model, the i30N hot hatch.

However, Biermann confirmed the new eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission for the i30N has been delayed until next year and perhaps 2021 for Australia.

Pictured: 2013 Hyundai HND-9 concept