Will The Hyundai N Vision 74 Ever Be Produced? Here's What We Know
The Hyundai N Vision 74 is the opposite of a concept car made strictly for exhibition at an auto show. Based on the Giugiaro-designed Pony Coupe concept from 50 years ago, the N Vision 74 is what Hyundai calls a "rolling lab." Hyundai defines it specifically as "A vehicle that conducts R&D and verification before applying high-performance technology inspired by motorsports and specific electrification technologies to mass-produced models."
The Hyundai N Vision 74 was presented in 2022 at Hyundai's N Day, a celebration of the brand's high-performance models that are marketed under the "N" label. The N stands for the Namyang district in South Korea where Hyundai's Global R&D Center is located. It also refers to the grueling Nürburgring racetrack in Germany, where the various N models are taken to develop and perfect their performance credentials.
It now appears that Hyundai may follow through and reportedly make a limited run of N Vision 74 production vehicles in 2026, according to Korean outlet ETNews (per Car and Driver). 100 examples are supposedly set for production, with 70 N Vision 74's headed to customers, and the rest dedicated to Hyundai's racing efforts. Aside from its capabilities as a track-day special, the N Vision 74 is Hyundai's attempt to envision a sustainable future for high-performance vehicles.
What powers the Hyundai N Vision 74?
The Hyundai N Vision 74 is a hybrid vehicle, but it does not use gasoline like most of today's hybrids. Instead, the N Vision 74 is a hydrogen-electric hybrid that uses a fuel cell to keep the electric battery charged. This powertrain design confers many advantages in view of the N Vision 74's primary purpose as a track-day tool. Its hydrogen fuel cell stack is mounted over the front axle, where it can be cooled by the air coming through the car's nose.
The N Vision 74 has two high-pressure hydrogen tanks and two electric motors in the rear, which balances out the weight distribution. A 62.4 kWh electric battery resides in the center of the vehicle. As with many high-performance track cars, the N Vision 74 is rear-wheel drive. Torque vectoring is used to increase performance and to allow for drifting when desired.
At the track, this means that the N Vision 74 can be quickly refueled with hydrogen in just a few minutes. Your track day can continue uninterrupted, with the fuel cell keeping the battery charged while you do more laps. If the electric battery should need to be charged (which is unlikely as long as hydrogen remains available at the track), an 800V charging system can perform the task fairly quickly.
Why the N Vision 74 is a better track day car
Battery electric vehicles (EVs) that are driven hard on a racetrack can suffer from rapid battery depletion and battery heat buildup. While the battery can certainly be recharged, it takes time. Using a fast charger creates additional heat, and on top of an already-hot battery, charging times will be extended. This is exactly what you don't want when you are trying to get the most laps for your track day dollars.
A few track-focused EVs, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5N, have been adapted to the rigors of track days, but they will still need frequent charging sessions. To make things worse, some tracks have banned EVs from track days due to fire risk if the battery should catch on fire. EV battery fires are not only difficult to extinguish, but the intense heat that results can seriously damage the track surface.
Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, on the other hand, can essentially just fill up their gas tanks and keep going without delay. The Hyundai N Vision 74's hydrogen fuel cell eliminates the need to directly charge the car's battery, providing a similar type of refuel-and-go process that sidesteps all of these problematic track-day battery charging issues.
While the Hyundai N Vision 74 may be produced in limited numbers, it is likely be priced out of the reach of all but wealthier enthusiasts. A recent interview with Till Wartenberg, Hyundai's VP of N Brand management and Motorsport, indicated that the 70 consumer-focused vehicles might be priced in the vicinity of the Corvette Z06 Coupe, which currently stickers at $110,100 MSRP.