11.03.2015

New car concept - Intrado

At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, Hyundai Motor has unveiled its new concept car, Intrado, to a global audience for the first time.

Intrado means a new direction for Hyundai, and is a vision of how cars will meet future mobility needs. Far more than a styling exercise, Intrado demonstrates Hyundai’s belief that further vehicle technologies and smart design can combine to attract more effectively with driver and passengers.

Intrado comes 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 shows his brief to explore bold new design possibilities for the Hyundai brand.

Intrado shows the company’s aspiration 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 graceful 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 utilizes 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.