Only the future will tell whether tomorrow's SUVs will be like the Kia Futuron Concept

The electric Kia Futuron Concept prototype previews what the crossovers yet to come will look like

Since the CIIE 2019, short for China International Import Expo 2019, the most important Chinese fair of the year, held in Shanghai, which showcases everything from food industry innovations to technology, including the automotive industry, the Hyundai Motor Group consortium has unveiled the Kia Futuron Concept prototype.

https://youtu.be/q3udAO4BXRs

Under the group’s second brand, Kia has proposed, at the CIIE 2019, its vision of the future of vehicles with a crossover body style.

A body inspired by the ‘360-degree concept’, as it offers a total cleanness of its lines and allows its overall appearance to be captured in a single image.

Thanks to a considerable ground clearance relative to the bodywork, a design where smooth panels predominate, and a waistline that sets its silhouette apart from a narrow roof, the combination of crossover and coupé architecture creates a dynamic and streamlined SUV effect.

At the front sits the renewed Tiger Nose , which maintains the language of the Imagine by Kia Concept design and incorporates LED matrix lighting dubbed Star Cloud, which emulates the nebulae of the night sky.

Meanwhile, the rear ends more sharply, with two protrusions: one corresponding to the spoiler that flows from the roof’s drop-off and, below, the bumper itself. In between, once again, a distinctive lighting arrangement adds a warm touch to a cold, sterile metal body.

This lighting system with a kinetic surface allows switching between daytime running lights and high-beam headlights as needed, depending on the opening or closing of the diodes.

The design work was carried out not only to create attractive and eye-catching shapes but also to deliver effective aerodynamics, something we recently highlighted with the announcement that the Lightyear One has the best drag coefficient of any car, representing an improvement in the use and energy efficiency of any vehicle.

To achieve this, the car’s dimensions are 4,850 mm long, 1,550 mm high, and a wheelbase of 3,000 millimetres. Beyond the ground clearance, the positioning of a low centre of gravity, favoured by installing the battery pack in the floor of the Kia Futuron Concept, allows it to cut through the air, offering high stability and dynamism.

All-wheel drive and autonomous driving for greater comfort

This concept vehicle is presented as an all-wheel-drive car thanks to the e-AWD system, that is, a powertrain that directs the work of electric motors to each of the wheels.

With four motors, one installed at each wheel, the response and output of each motor is precisely and immediately delivered. Furthermore, since it has a level 4 autonomous driving capability, the Kia Futuron Concept can manage its activity while in motion and also offers an interior space without limitations thanks to the new cockpit.

A flexible cabin adapted to the moment of driving, since the position of the front seats allows the backrest to be set either to driving or resting position and, once reclined, the steering wheel retracts to offer more space.

For the moments and journeys in which the Kia Futuron Concept takes control of driving, the graphical user interface wraps around the cabin so that the passenger, formerly the driver, or their companions, can interact with the assistant based on artificial intelligence.