The Future of EV Performance? Putting Elaphe’s In-Wheel Hub Motor Prototype to the Test on the Ice in a Hyundai Ioniq 5
In a landmark trial on a frozen Swedish lake, the Elaphe in-wheel hub motor system integrated into a Hyundai Ioniq 5 delivered unprecedented performance, hinting at a revolutionary shift in electric vehicle design and dynamics.
By Tim Stevens
Industry Analyst | 10 Years’ Experience
March 18, 2026
Imagine the scene: a 500-horsepower American pony car, rear-wheel drive, front-engined, sliding across a sheet of ice without a single tire stud. It sounds like a recipe for pure chaos—a delicate balancing act requiring the restraint of a saint and the finesse of a neurosurgeon. As I settle into the driver’s seat on this frozen Swedish lake in early March, however, my saintly patience is put to the test, but not in the way you might expect. My right foot is pressed firmly to the floor, I’m executing effortless drifts around a massive skidpad, and the experience is nothing short of exhilarating.
The reason for this newfound confidence? Advanced assistance from the front axle, courtesy of sophisticated stability control systems. Where you’d normally find only heavy-duty brakes, suspension components, and steering linkages up front, this coupe hosts something extraordinary: a pair of electric motors. Tucked neatly above the brakes and just managing to fit within the confines of the wheels, these motors provide a surge of power, yes, but more importantly, they unlock a level of capability that would be utterly unattainable in the stock configuration under these treacherous conditions.
Straight From Slovenia
These remarkable motors hail from a specialized Slovenian company named Elaphe. Though established in 2006, Elaphe has largely operated under the radar, focusing on high-stakes, black-ops projects like this one, collaborating with various manufacturers while championing the potential of in-wheel hub motors on a far grander scale than the scooters and e-bikes where they typically reside.
Elaphe’s most significant public recognition came from its partnership with Lordstown Motors, a collaboration that promised to finally bring the company’s innovative motors to the mainstream market. Tragically, that vision dissolved with Lordstown’s subsequent bankruptcy, leaving Elaphe to showcase its technology in a diverse range of other vehicles.
One such vehicle is this modified Hyundai Ioniq 5. In its acclaimed N variant, the Ioniq 5 is already a thrilling machine to drive. However, in its standard, non-evolved form, it presents a far more subdued character, especially when confronted with ice. My initial encounter with this technology began behind the wheel of a base Ioniq 5 on a meticulously plowed handling circuit at the Colmis Proving Ground, located just outside the Arctic Circle in Arjeplog, Sweden.
In its default driving mode, the stock Ioniq 5 demonstrates commendable competence. However, the moment you demand anything beyond a very modest level of performance from its standard, unstudded snow tires, the stability and traction control systems intervene with immediate and rather abrupt power cuts. Attempting to accelerate out of a corner quickly devolves into a frustrating exercise in keeping both steering angle and throttle input within an incredibly narrow operational window. Deviate even slightly from this precarious balance, and forward progress grinds to a complete halt.
Interestingly, it is possible to completely override these electronic nannies with a prolonged press of the traction control button. Once those systems are disengaged, the standard Hyundai transforms into a fundamentally different vehicle. It becomes possible to slide and induce wheelspin in a much more engaging manner. Yet, even in this liberated state, the experience remains far from rewarding. The Ioniq 5 proves exceptionally difficult to drift smoothly, exhibiting a tendency to lurch into sudden, wild oversteer with almost no warning. Compounding this instability, if you attempt to power through a corner using the throttle, the car succumbs almost instantly to terminal understeer. Even employing an aggressive Scandinavian flick maneuver, the vehicle simply plows straight ahead as soon as any meaningful throttle is applied.
Enter the Quad-Motor Ioniq
Elaphe’s version of the same vehicle, however, offered a completely transformative experience. To achieve this, the company completely replaced Hyundai’s dual-motor setup with four individual in-wheel hub motors. Each of these motors is capable of producing an impressive 188 horsepower and a staggering 1,254 lb-ft of torque. Elaphe ingeniously integrated these motors with the car’s original battery and power electronics, ensuring that the Ioniq 5’s touchscreen continues to display the remaining state of charge accurately.
You simply get in, start the car, and twist the drive selector forward into “D” for Drive, just as you would in a standard Ioniq. From that point onward, however, the driving dynamics diverge radically.
In the default driving mode, the car remains reassuringly safe and easy to manage on the slick icy surface. However, unlike Hyundai’s stock safety systems, which abruptly cut power the moment slip is detected and are reluctant to reapply it, the Elaphe system operates with far greater subtlety. As you turn the steering wheel to enter a corner, the Ioniq gently reduces power so smoothly that you can maintain a flat foot on the accelerator and navigate the entire course without any interruption to forward motion.
Furthermore, the system enhances regenerative braking on the inside wheels to help rotate the chassis into the turn. This action is executed with such precision that it never induces oversteer. There is just enough built-in understeer to politely discourage novice drivers from pushing the limits too aggressively.
Stepping up from there, drivers can select Sport and Sport Plus modes, each offering progressively more driver control and significantly more power. In Sport Plus mode, the car readily engages in satisfyingly controlled drifts, and the throttle response becomes noticeably sharper. Even if the rear end begins to hang out beyond a few degrees, the system smoothly reasserts control, relying once again on the individual regenerative braking capabilities of the four wheels to manage the slide without the jarring intervention of the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
However, there is yet another mode available, a true drift mode. In this configuration, the electronic safety net still provides a degree of assistance, but for the most part, it allows the driver complete freedom of expression. The formerly unassuming Ioniq 5 is transformed into an absolute delight on the ice. The driver can deliberately hang the tail out through tight corners or power through faster turns in a spectacular slide.
The car behaves in a clean, predictable manner, entirely free from abrupt power cuts or clumsy electronic interventions. If you find yourself slightly lagging in maintaining your drift, the system provides just enough subtle help to prevent the rear from spinning completely out of control. Otherwise, the driver is left completely free to pivot and swing the substantial 4,600-pound EV precisely as intended.
Weight Implications
Elaphe representatives informed me that, despite the addition of the extra motors, their modified version of the car weighs only a few pounds more than the standard production model. The original brakes are retained, but the suspension has been completely replaced by custom-engineered KW units, specifically calibrated to manage the increased weight concentrated in the wheels.
This introduces a significant amount of additional unsprung mass, as each motor weighs approximately 60 pounds. Surely, this must have a detrimental impact on the car’s handling dynamics, right? According to Elaphe CEO Gorazd Gotovac, this concern is unfounded. “The top test drivers in the top performance OEMs would disagree,” Gotovac stated. “From my perspective, that’s enough for me.”
Gotovac conceded that for high-end luxury vehicles, the extra weight in the wheels could potentially introduce complications regarding ride quality. However, he asserted that these are not insurmountable challenges and can be effectively managed through more advanced suspension damping technologies. He firmly believes that the notion of in-wheel motors negatively impacting handling performance is nothing more than a persistent myth. “High-mu, low-mu, on tarmac and on ice, we prove that every day to OEMs,” he declared confidently.
Unfortunately, this is one specific area of evaluation that we cannot definitively comment on. While the typical frozen lake environment is inherently bumpy and uneven, the test courses we sampled in Sweden had been meticulously groomed to be exceptionally smooth.
The additional mass hanging at the extremes of the suspension must surely carry some negative implications, but Gotovac insisted that these are far outweighed by the potential benefits. By relocating the motors out to the wheels, significant space is liberated within the vehicle’s chassis. This freed-up volume can be utilized for larger battery packs, increased cargo capacity, or simply result in a more intelligently designed and efficient overall package. In this particular Ioniq 5 prototype, the front trunk, which is normally minuscule in the standard model, was instead a vast, empty cavity.
Furthermore, Elaphe asserts that by designing a vehicle from the ground up to utilize these in-wheel motors, significant weight reductions can be achieved. This is possible by employing smaller brake systems and eliminating the need for reduction gearsets and differentials, components that also contribute to power loss. When developed in this integrated manner, Elaphe estimates that manufacturing costs could be reduced by up to 10 percent, particularly when considering the smaller battery packs required for lighter, more efficient vehicles.
Concerns regarding the servicing of brakes that are now ensconced behind the motors are also addressed. Once the wheel is removed, three exposed bolt heads are visible. By loosening these bolts, installing pins to securely retain the motor’s rotor and stator in place, and then simply unplugging the motor, it can be lifted off. The process is remarkably straightforward.
This maintenance procedure is not
