At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, Hyundai Motor has unveiled its new concept car, Intrado, to a global audience for the first time. Intrado signifies a new direction for Hyundai, and is a vision of how cars will meet future mobility needs.
[ads id=”0″ style=”float:left;padding:5px;”]Far more than a styling exercise, Intrado demonstrates Hyundai’s belief that advanced vehicle technologies and intelligent design can combine to engage more effectively with driver and passengers. Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman at Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) Namyang R&D Centre, commented: “As we develop lightweight technologies, the application of advanced materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) in structural members is of great interest to us. Intrado reflects our innovative efforts in this area, while demonstrating the close collaboration between designers at Hyundai Design Centre Europe and engineers at HMC Namyang R&D Centre. The result is Intrado –a vision of how eco-friendly cars will deliver delight to our customers.”
Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe, added: “Hyundai Motor’s vision is ‘lifetime partner in automobiles’, and Intrado truly embodies this thinking. We have looked to the future and the roles cars will play in our daily lives. Intrado is also a demonstration of our technological and design abilities, and shows our outlook for mobility in the region. Hyundai has a great SUV heritage in Europe with the hugely-popular ix35 and Santa Fe models; Intrado both draws on this heritage and envisages the compact car requirements of the millennial generation.”
Intrado results from a fresh consideration of passenger vehicles, and has therefore been designed and developed from the inside out. The interior is defined by a focus on usability and adaptability, with innovative materials and contrasting colours utilised to appeal to buyers with an active lifestyle. At the same time, by including only what is relevant to buyers, the exterior of Intrado presents a progressive interpretation of Hyundai Motor’s established form language, Fluidic Sculpture.
Intrado is the first concept designed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group, since he was appointed in January 2013. The vehicle reflects his brief to explore daring new design possibilities for the Hyundai brand.
Intrado shows the company’s desire to produce lighter, stronger cars that are even better to drive and simpler to repair, influenced by insights into how consumers are likely to interact with their cars in the future. At the heart of the car is a super-lightweight frame formed from a mixture of advanced materials and constructed by new manufacturing and joining techniques.
The concept car is powered by a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that utilises a 36 kW lithium-ion battery. Intrado promises more responsive and agile driving dynamics, thanks to the lower weight and greater efficiency of its powertrain, which also reinforces the company’s commitment to this potential-rich and emissions-free technology that began in 1998.
The result of close collaboration between Hyundai Motor’s design and engineering teams in Europe and Namyang, Korea, Intrado was styled at the Hyundai Design Centre Europe in Rüsselsheim, Germany–as indicated by its codename, ‘HED-9’ (Hyundai European Design-9).
The key inspiration behind Intrado comes from aeronautics, and harnessing the power of air flow to create a more efficient form. This inspired the name ‘Intrado’, which is the underside area of an aircraft’s wing that creates lift.
Raphael Bretecher, General Manager, Design Department at Hyundai Design Centre Europe, and Intrado project leader, commented: “Intrado aims to encapsulate the efficiency and freedom associated with flying, while paving the way for future Hyundai models. The parallels with aircraft go far beyond the name. Nothing is present solely for decoration. Everything serves a purpose. Like an aircraft, Intrado has a purity of design that is beautiful and efficient.”
