Watch Drift King Keiichi Tsuchiya Slide The Life Out Of Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

In the drifting world, there is no greater wheelman than Keiichi Tsuchiya, so his impressions of a sideways-happy EV are important. The Drift King is a legend in racing circles and can make almost anything go sideways in style.

Tsuchiya recently got behind the wheel of the Ioniq 5 N to demonstrate the high-performance EV's capabilities - and came away from the experience pleasantly surprised. With great precision, Tsuchiya plays with the steering wheel, piloting the electric crossover through the corners with plenty of panache. Plumes of smoke trail off the screeching tires as the tortured rubber drowns out the artificial engine noise.

"This is my first time driving an EV that can drift," says Tsuchiya. "It's so much fun!"

The drifting legend says he was surprised by the Ioniq 5 N's surprising agility, especially for a car that weighs more than 4,800 pounds. Based on the driving experience, Tsuchiya thought the Hyundai weighed around 880 lbs less than it actually does: "But when I returned to the pit, I was surprised to learn that it weighed [so little].

This remarkable performance is down to the exceptional underpinnings. The N Torque Distribution function sends power from the front to the rear, while an e-LSD positioned on the rear axle balances torque on the rear wheels. The latter works with the N Drift Optimizer to keep the car sideways in corners, while a Torque Kick Drift system simulates the feel of a rear-wheel drive combustion-powered car.

Hyundai wants to provide an old-school performance car experience in an electrified package. The N e-shift simulated DCT transmission is an excellent example of this. This approach may convert some combustion diehards into fledgling EV enthusiasts.

"It was so fun that the rear of the car moves quite well," said Tsuchiya. Except for the Tiburon and the Genesis Coupe, the Korean automaker isn't known for its sports and performance cars. The N lineup is starting to change this, though.

"I didn't expect much because (in Japan) there were not many sports-type cars from Korea so far," added the Drift King. However, the new Ioniq 5 N has changed his mind. "Oh, they're making playful cars," Tsuchiya thought while driving.

Unlike some high-performance EVs, the Ioniq 5 N isn't just about straight-line speed, but it's still highly capable in that regard. With up to 641 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque (with N Grin Boost engaged), the crossover can hit 62 mph in a mere 3.4 seconds. Power is sent to all four wheels, with a rear bias making it more exciting in the bends.