Frankfurt Motor Show - Hyundai’s new 45 concept gives us a glimpse into the company’s future design language for electrified vehicles.
The name 45 refers to the fact that it takes inspiration from the Hyundai Pony Coupe Concept that was first unveiled 45 years ago, while also referring to the 45-degree angles at the front and rear of the car, which together form a diamond-shaped silhouette.
“As a 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,” Hyundai says.
“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.”
Another design highlight is the ‘lattice’ front grille that incorporates a ‘kinetic cube’ headlight design that’s meant to evoke analogue emotions.
A special touch inside is the active LED light garnish at the bottom of the door, which paints a very clear picture of how much charge remains in the car’s battery. While the mirror-less rear view system is nothing new, Hyundai has added a clever touch in the form of a turntable module that rotates the lens past a brush to keep it clean, thus overcoming a problem that’s likely to become common in future mirror-less systems.
The minimalist cabin is finished in a furniture-inspired combination of wood, fabric and leather, designed to create a warm and lounge-like atmosphere. The seats even swivel towards occupants as they open the door to enter.
The central touchscreen is replaced by a series of displays and functions integrated into the dashboard, and front-seat passengers can interact with the infotainment system through a projection-beam interface.
A skateboard-like vehicle architecture, which positions the batteries and motors outside or below the passenger compartment, ensures a spacious cabin with plenty of stretching space.