hyundai unveils retro-futuristic 45 EV concept with sharp angular lines

the '45 EV' puts a twist on the 1974 icon that helped to establish hyundai's design DNA.

kieron marchese September 10, 2019 2 min

hyundai pays homage to the pony coupe with its new self-driving concept car. unveiled at the international motorshow (IAA) 2019 in frankfurt, the ’45 EV’ puts a twist on the 1974 icon that helped to establish hyundai’s design DNA.

hyundai unveils retro-futuristic 45 EV concept with minimal wooden cabin

images courtesy of hyundai

the concept not only references the number of years since the pony coupe, but also the 45-degree angles at the front and rear of the car’s exterior. it celebrates the clean lines and minimalistic structure of the original coupe concept while reinterprets its predecessor’s distinctive lattice radiator grille with what hyundai describes as a ‘kinetic cube lamp’ design.

hyundai unveils retro-futuristic 45 EV concept with minimal wooden cabin

with the new concept, hyundai highlights future technological developments that may influence forthcoming hyundai models. this includes a hidden camera monitoring system (CMS) that is equipped in the vehicle, which replaces the side mirrors with small cameras and tries to overcome visibility challenges caused by dirt gathering on the mirror by using an embedded turntable module, which rotates the lens past a brush.

hyundai unveils retro-futuristic 45 EV concept with minimal wooden cabin

inside, a minimalist cabin is fitted with a mixture of wood, fabric and leather with lounge chair-style rear seats. front-seat passengers can interact with a infotainment system via a projection-beam interface that replaces a single central touchscreen with a series of displays and functions integrated into the dashboard itself.

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the floor is covered by a comfortable carpet, to further give off the sense of a living space, as well as reduce road noise. in terms of storage, the car’s novel solutions include door-mounted device pockets via a horizontally elongated shape that allows books or tablet PCs to be stored.

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hyundai didn’t give away much in terms of the concept’s powertrain except that it is of course electric. we also know that the batteries in 45 are set throughout the car’s ‘skateboard floor,’ contributing to its spacious interior. aside from that, you will have to wait for more details.

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