The company hopes the Intrado’s aesthetics will help attract younger buyers and distinguish the brand from Kia, while also serving as a demonstration platform for a new form of carbon-fiber construction that could make its way to production vehicles in the coming years.
“Many people say Hyundai is the more conservative brand of the two, but I don’t think that’s the right way,” designer Peter Schreyer told Auto Express. “It’s not an old man’s car, it can be sporty too with its rally racing background and more.”
The company has filed a patent for a construction method that starts with soft carbon-fiber tubing that can be bent into different shapes. Once the desired form is achieved, resin is cured inside the tubes to create a rigid frame.
The approach is claimed to be rigid enough to eliminate the need for a B-pillar between the front and rear seats, simplifying passenger entry. It is also said to be much lighter and simpler to produce, compared to current mainstream construction methods with steel or aluminum.
The Intrado is designed around Hyundai’s second-generation hydrogen fuel cell, which is claimed to deliver a range of over 365 miles and push the car to 62 mph in approximately 12.5 seconds.
Additional details are expected to be disclosed next month as the Intrado goes on display in Geneva.
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