Venus and Earth concepts preview new electric cars bespoke to the world’s biggest car market
Hyundai has revealed the radical Venus and Earth concepts as a showcase of its plans for a new range of bespoke electric cars for the Chinese market.
The rakish Venus saloon and its rugged Earth SUV sibling preview a new China-specific EV line-up that is “tailored to local customers”, Hyundai said – and distinct from the Ioniq models the company sells in other global markets.
To emphasise this distinction, Hyundai’s EV models in China will be named after planets – like the two concept cars – rather than taking numerical designations according to their size, like the Ioniq 3, 5, 6 and 9.
This new naming strategy, Hyundai said, “symbolises how each vehicle orbits around the customer – the central focus of this new Ioniq universe”.
The show cars also preview a dramatic new design language for Hyundai in China, departing from the monolithic, retro and pixel-heavy motifs of its existing Ioniq models.
Defined by their simple ‘single-curve’ silhouettes, the Venus and Earth are said to be “instantly recognisable and emotionally distinctive”.
The Venus, for example, is wholly distinct from the similarly sized and positioned Ioniq 6 Hyundai launched in 2022. Finished in a ‘radiant gold’ that references the colour of its namesake planet, it has an unusual cab-forward profile with a ‘lightweight, frame-structured roof’ and a transparent spoiler – and is much sharper and straighter-edged than the curvy electric saloon Hyundai sells in the UK.
It’s a complete departure inside the “driver-focused, wrap-around cockpit”, too, where physical switchgear is entirely absent in favour of a huge digital display that spans almost the width of the car – hinting at the advanced digital functionality of Hyundai’s upcoming Chinese cars. Suede upholstery and gold trim elements emphasise the “premium feel”, Hyundai said.
The Earth, meanwhile, takes a more rugged approach, with chinky body cladding, skid plates and swollen bodywork hinting at its outdoors aspirations – a growing trend in China, where Defender-style 4×4 family SUVs are incredibly popular.
The SUV’s cabin is designed more obviously with space and comfort in mind, featuring ‘air-hug’ seats made up of several air-filled pockets, dynamic mood lighting and a number of ‘shy-tech’ elements designed to promote a “calm and breathable” ambience.
Simon Loasby, Hyundai’s head designer, said the concepts are a stake in the ground for the company’s ambition to increase its market footprint in China with a completely new business strategy.
“We chose to be ‘the origin’. Something entirely new — recognisable at a glance from a distance, with a powerful presence on the road, and delivering what we call a ‘best in first impression’,” he said. “‘The origin’ is our declaration: ‘Lead, don’t follow’. It is the point from which our movement begins. Our ambition is to set a new direction.”
Hyundai has given no indication of the concepts’ readiness for production, nor said when it plans to launch its new bespoke Chinese EVs – but says it will provide further details when the cars make thei public debut at the Beijing motor show later this month.
It is also not confirmed whether the models will use the E-GMP platform that underpins the existing Ioniq EVs – although Hyundai’s confirmation that these new cars will feature “market-specific solutions” such as range-extender powertrains and autonomous driving technologies, suggests a high level of bespoke engineering.
Hyundai has a joint venture in China already with Beijing-based BAIC Motor, through which it produces the Elexio SUV, Custo MPV, Mufasa crossover and various adapted global models for China.
Hyundai is one of several global car manufacturers targeting growth in China with a line of bespoke models tailored to meet the unique demands and regulations of the world’s biggest automotive market.
Volkswagen, for example, has an “in China, for China” strategy and has developed an extensive range of local-market EVs and ICE models in partnership with several local manufacturers, while sibling brand Audi recently launched the AUDI marque as a China-specific premium EV marque.
