Carsales Staff•25 Feb 2014
NEWS
GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Hyundai Intrado debut
New concept car blending fuel cell technology with lightweight materials could be new ix35?Is the car pictured here the next-generation ix35?
Named Hyundai Intrado, the car incorporates a few signature styling details from design chief Peter Schreyer, and has been developed in time for its unveiling at next month's Geneva motor show.
According to Hyundai, the Intrado name itself refers to the underside of an aircraft's wing, and is a semantic link to the lightweight construction philosophy adopted for the concept car – a frame of reference shared with the aviation industry. Hyundai claims that the Intrado is much more than just a design exercise, underneath the car is the company's next generation of fuel cell stack and associated technology.
It's the fuel cell underpinning the design study delivering the strongest hint the show car provides a first look at the successor to the ix35. Hyundai has been testing its real-world fuel cell systems in the current ix35/Tucson for some years now, and has announced February 2014 as its production start date for a low-volume fuel cell vehicle based on the SUV. In front-wheel drive form the small SUV is the right size to squeeze in the constituent elements of a fuel cell system, including the large hydrogen tanks.
While Intrado looks far removed from production reality, it does appear to fit within the same footprint as the current ix35, and may well sit on the platform chosen for the next model.
Hyundai's engineers have pulled out all stops to whittle down the weight for the show car, the company claims, and the styling is "dictated by the need to be aerodynamically efficient." Not content with drawing parallels between aircraft and the concept car, Hyundai also ventures to observe that the Intrado's materials technology and innovative construction represents the merger of form and function seen in high-end mountain bikes.
The body is a skin, constructed from a super-lightweight steel, and sitting on a carbon-fibre inner frame. In future, Hyundai argues, this form of construction will see the light of day in production vehicles and will free designers and engineers from the need to clothe cars in steel.
Carbon-fibre is present throughout the cabin also, a 'naked' structural element that contrasts with the Beaufort orange coordinating colour selected.
Powering the car, the fuel cell system stores electrical energy in a 36kWh lithium-ion battery and can be recharged within a few minutes for a 600km range.
“Effortless and sensual, Intrado reflects the open-mindedness and constant renewal of the Hyundai brand,” said Peter Schreyer. “It also shows that Hyundai wants its customers to rediscover the joy and freedom that should be associated with personal mobility. That’s why this car has such purity of purpose – it’s logical, lovable and liveable.”
The Intrado was styled at Hyundai's European Design Centre at Rüsselsheim in Germany.
Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, led the design team that created the Intrado.
“In line with its promise of a motoring future that is more relevant to users’ lifestyles, we have given Intrado a distinctive exterior and interior shape, formed from the lightweight frame, that incorporates only what is necessary,” Bürkle was quoted saying in a press release.
“The exterior is defined by a simple yet sporty profile which displays the latest interpretation of fluidic sculpture, while the interior shows how minimal ornamentation will perfectly fit into the varied lifestyles of the millennial generation.”
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Register to comment on this article.
Tags
Hyundai
ix35
Car News
Hatchback
Family Cars
First Car
Motor Shows
Geneva Motor Show
Written byCarsales Staff
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Love every move.
Buy it. Sell it.Love it.
®Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.