Author: Hyundai
Date: October 19th, 2018
Publisher: Hyundai News
Link: https://www.hyundai.news/eu/articles/press-releases/hyundai-motor-unveils-45-ev-concept-at-iaa-2019.html
Hyundai’s latest concept model showcases the brand’s future design direction for electric vehicles. Named 45, this new design concept pays homage to one of the most iconic vehicles in Hyundai’s history, the Pony Coupe Concept. The concept reimagines the in-car experience in the age of electrification and autonomous technologies. 45 marks a new era for Hyundai by evoking emotional connections from the past to create a consumer lifestyle brand for the future of mobility.
As an homage to its heritage and reimagined for the future, 45 foreshadows a new era of Hyundai’s automotive design focused on electrification, autonomous technologies and intelligent design. The progressive 45 puts a twist on a 45-year-old icon, the Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept, to introduce an entirely new in-car experience for self-driving vehicles of tomorrow.
The new concept strips away complexity, celebrating the clean lines and minimalistic structure of the original coupe concept. Combining heritage with vision, 45 incorporates the evolution of Hyundai’s ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language. ‘Sensuous’ stands for enhanced emotional values that customers can experience through design, and ‘Sportiness’ is determined to implement those values through innovative mobility solutions.
As a progressive EV, new technology is visible in 45’s design. At the bottom of the door, a special garnish highlights its long-distance battery capability and, through active LED lights, drivers can intuitively know how much longer they can drive even before they get in the car. These thoughtful elements are designed for a user who is experiencing an EV for the first time.
The inside of 45 covers all aspects of a consumer’s lifestyle. The 45 embodies Hyundai’s ‘STYLE SET FREE’ strategy for future mobility that emphasizes personalization of design and function. As the new era of future mobility opens, Hyundai reimagines the in-car experience in a self-driven vehicle. The interior becomes a unique living space capable of transforming to accommodate a range of passenger lifestyle demands.
Inside, Hyundai’s design team takes the space beyond driving to focus on the vehicle’s evolution into a living space. Inspired by furniture designs, the minimalist cabin is fitted with an inviting fusion of wood, fabric and leather, creating a warm atmosphere that is both relaxing and spacious. Daylight was also considered as a design element for the headlining to bring analogue emotions in a natural way.
For occupants, the car delivers a comfortable and communal environment, with lounge chair-style rear seats and front seats that can rotate to face other passengers. Pushing design and technology further ahead, front-seat passengers can interact with the infotainment system via a projection-beam interface. This replaces a single central touchscreen with a series of displays and functions integrated into the dashboard itself. The fully-electric powertrain finally enables a complete reimagination of how cars are packaged. The space is fully maximized with batteries and motors positioned outside or below the passenger compartment.
The batteries in 45 are set throughout the car’s ‘skateboard floor,’ contributing to its spacious interior. The model’s flat floor where the batteries are stored is nicknamed the ‘skateboard’ as it allows Hyundai to create a space that feels like a living room with new pieces of furniture. The floor is covered by a comfortable carpet, to further give off the sense of a living space, as well as reduce road noise. The seats swivel towards occupants as they open the door for convenient entry and exit.
Clean lines, ergonomic placement of controls and a ‘high-end electronics’ feel for the interior fixtures further enhance the feeling of space while reinforcing the simplistic modernity of 45’s design. The car reimagines storage space in a range of novel ways, including refining the concept of door-mounted device pockets by introducing a horizontally elongated shape that allows books or tablet PCs to be stored. Furthermore, the storage space uses a transparent material, so it is easy to see the content.
This article provides details on yet another competing auto company’s future direction in terms of designing the interior of an automatous vehicle, but this concept is not as disruptive as Volvo’s, for reference. Though there is plenty that can be done with the space, this concept makes for a good example of how to create a successful transition to autonomous electric vehicles, with many of its features intentionally designed for a user who is using the vehicle for the first time. This will be important to keep in mind as we continue to work on this project, since Honda is asking us to design for that critical transitional period. It’s imperative that we make come up with a solution that allows for a smooth transition, because a rough one may mean a potential loss of business.
Hyundai Newsroom. (2018, October 9). Hyundai Motor Unveils 45 EV Concept at IAA 2019. Hyundai motor unveils 45 EV concept at IAA 2019. https://www.hyundai.news/eu/articles/press-releases/hyundai-motor-unveils-45-ev-concept-at-iaa-2019.html.
