Every year, at least one car ends up eating hay during the iconic hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This year, the first car to veer off-track and into the safety haystacks was a Hyundai RN22e, an electric track car of sorts based on the Ioniq 6. Hyundai’s N Division is using it as a demonstration for its upcoming electric performance cars, such as the Ioniq 5 N which also made its debut in Goodwood.
About 30 seconds into the RN22e’s climb up the hill, it seems to have clipped some grass while carrying too much speed into a corner and understeered into the hay. Admittedly, that’s what the haystacks are for, as they can absorb much of the crash without injuring the driver or damaging the cars too badly. It’s hard to tell just how badly damaged the RN22e was after the crash, but there were certainly some exterior bits of the car laying in the hay afterward. Thankfully, it seems the driver is OK.
It’s easy to see how the Hyundai RN22e carried too much speed into the corner. With 577 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque from its dual electric motors, the go-fast electric Hyundai is capable of 0-60 mph in just over three seconds. It also has track-ready suspension, heavily upgraded aero, and sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires.
Hyundai currently has a big presence at Goodwood, with its N Division showing off multiple electric cars. So it’s a shame to see one of its cars crash into the barrier, as it was the perfect opportunity to show off just how impressive Hyundai’s new performance tech is. Hyundai likely won’t be alone for long, as there’s a good possibility we see another car eat some hay as the Festival of Speed goes on. However, that likely won’t take the sting out of crashing during what could have been a huge moment for the Hyundai N Division.
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