When a car weighs as much as the Ioniq 5 N does, a diet would be more than welcome. Thankfully, Hyundai is already planning to shave off some fat by giving the high-performance electric crossover substantially lighter wheels. To make it happen, it has teamed up with wheel specialist Dymag as well as with the composites material experts at Hankuk Carbon. A prototype for a 21-inch lightweight wheel was showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Designed and developed by the South Korean brand, the wheel has a hybrid construction by combining a carbon fiber outer rim with a forged metallic centerpiece. Doing so has allowed the engineers to shave off anywhere between 40 to 50 percent of weight compared to a regular alloy wheel of the same size. Aside from being much lighter, these wheels are stiffer and more durable while reducing rolling inertia.
It’s not just the Ioniq 5 N that will be getting these lightweight wheels as Hyundai mentions they’ll be offered for other performance models that are part of the growing N portfolio. Dymag is collaborating with other automakers and has developed a range of carbon hybrid wheels varying in size from 18 to 23 inches, with even bigger 24- and 25-inch sets coming later this year.
UK-based Dymag points out that hybrid carbon wheels have an advantage over the one-piece fully carbon wheels because the magnesium or aluminum centerpiece makes it easier to come up with different designs while reducing the re-tooling costs. The carbon fiber rim is also said to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels while the lower unsprung mass improves handling.
There’s just one issue though – pricing. N models are among the most affordable performance cars but surely a carbon hybrid wheel won’t come cheap. While the weight savings will be significant, it remains to be seen how many Hyundai owners will fork out the money for what will certainly be a pricey option.
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