Hyundai INITIUM FCEV Concept Looks Ready for a Post-Apocalyptic Summer in Los Angeles

This concept is also meant to showcase the company’s new design language, which is called ‘Art of Steel’. It’s very much in line with what we’ve seen on models such as the IONIQ 5 or the new Santa Fe. These vehicles look modern and almost monolithic in their design, focusing on straight lines and sharp edges rather than curves.

The design also gives off retro vibes. It’s as if some car company from the 80s suddenly decided to make a crossover utility vehicle with a little help from George Lucas. Overall, I’d say that the INITIUM concept looks very interesting, although perhaps a little different in real life than in those initial renderings from October – in terms of presence.

Usually, this would be the part where I’d say that INITIUM is merely meant to preview a future FCEV model that Hyundai will unveil in the future, but my gut feeling is that they will stay pretty true to the concept’s design, after all, the production car is scheduled for release in the first half of next year. Usually when you get a concept car so close to the production debut, the changes tend to be minimal.

I would, of course, expect different wheels on the production model (less sci-fi), conventional mirrors, and windows that aren’t blacked out.

It’s also interesting that this ‘Art of Steel’ design language targets hydrogen-powered models, because it should work just as well on EVs - aspects from it have already been implemented on the two cars I’ve already mentioned.

“Our challenge began from the manufacturing stage, where we pushed the formability of steel to the extreme to create a form of art,” said Hyundai design boss, SangYup Lee. “With INITIUM, we’ve crafted a more SUV-like design that is both solid and safe, reflecting our dedication to our customers through customer-centric design.”

Also, the fact that this is an SUV and not a sedan or a fastback speaks volumes about the direction of the brand. INITIUM features a solid balance of sturdiness and sophistication, as Hyundai puts it, and it’s got that rugged roof rack, so it should be perfect for people with both urban and outdoor lifestyles – this thing would be right at home in places such as California, Arizona, Nevada and the likes.

As for performance expectations, we could be looking at up to 404 miles (650 km) of range, to go with 201 horsepower. I’ll be honest, those aren’t particularly impressive figures, especially since EV battery tech will likely improve dramatically in the coming years, but we should await the final product before drawing any conclusions.