Sports Battle Between the Tesla Model 3 Performance and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N

Our colleagues from Carnow pitted the new sporty version of the Tesla Model 3 against the benchmark Hyundai in a Drag Race.

Tesla ultimately decided not to offer a Plaid version of the Model 3, but the Performance is still not a discount model. Its high-performance electric motors deliver a combined power of 460 hp and achieve acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds with a top speed exceeding 260 km/h. While it may not be an Hypercar, it is the most powerful and fastest Model 3 ever designed.

On the Hyundai side, there is also an all-wheel drive system with two electric motors, directly inspired by the brand’s rally experience. The fourth-generation 84 kWh battery from Hyundai delivers a higher power level thanks to a two-level inverter with optimized energy efficiency, allowing the electric motors to operate up to 21,000 rpm and develop a power of 650 hp once the N Grin Boost function is activated. Despite this, it only claims 3.25 seconds for the 0 to 100 km/h exercise. This is certainly due to a total weight of 2.2 tons, which is 350 kg more than the Tesla. Therefore, the competition is not entirely uneven despite the nearly 200 hp gap in favor of the Korean.

The tests conducted by Carnow are particularly comprehensive with, of course, the standing start exercise, but also comparisons of recovery times. So, who has the advantage? The lightness of the Tesla Model 3 or the power of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N? We’ll let you find out, but here’s a little hint: Hyundai has real expertise in transmissions, and its experience in motorsport certainly contributes to this.

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