If anyone should be skeptical of our all-electric future, it’s Keiichi Tsuchiya — a.k.a. Drift King.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the best electric car on sale right now. It blends balance, performance, and fun in a way no other EV can, and thanks to a simulated paddle-shift gearset, can feel just like a gas-powered car. But don’t take it from me. Take it from Keiichi Tsuchiya — the real Drift King.
Pro photographer Larry Chen was invited to Sydney Motorsport Park in Australia to document Tsuchiya as he got behind the wheel for the first time to do some testing on the Ioniq 5 N. Even without a clutch or a hydraulic hand-brake, he finds drifting the sporty electric SUV simple thanks to the car’s dedicated drift mode. He also mentions to Chen the car’s heavy curb weight makes it easier to shift the body and get it sideways.
We’re then treated to a handful of smokey B-roll as Chen films Tsuchiya melting tires as he pulls massive drifts through several Sydney Motorsport Park’s large-radius turns. If the Drift King gives his stamp of approval, you know this car is going to be fun.
Chen is also given some time behind the wheel of the Ioniq 5 N, though the extra weight catches him out and he loses control, spinning, exiting the track, and lightly tapping a barrier. Nothing but his pride was hurt, and the car was able to drive away with nothing more than a few bumper scuffs. Happens to the best of us.
