Hyundai Intrado : Hydrogen-fuelled crossover concept leaked

First seen in sketch form late last year, the four-seat front-wheel-drive Hyundai Intrado concept previews the South Korean car maker’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture 2.0’ design language and a second-generation hydrogen fuel cell system.

Said to be smaller and lighter than the unit in the production ix35 Fuel Cell, the Intrado’s hydrogen-based powertrain includes a fuel cell stack, electric motor and 36kWh lithium-ion battery.

Though the larger ix35 Fuel Cell claimed a 100kW electric motor, a 594km range and a 12.5-second 0-100km/h, figures for the Hyundai Intrado are yet to be announced.

The Intrado features a super-lightweight carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structure underneath a crossover exterior.

Up front is a matt black hexagonal grille flanked by slender LED headlights, horizontal daytime running lights and  orange-highlighted wind guides.

A sleek glasshouse and heavily raked windscreen sit atop muscular wheel arches housing silver and black-finished alloy wheels while grey plastic cladding flows into thick side skirts.

The rear is dominated by a curvaceously protruding tailgate and C-shaped LED tail-lights.

Inside the orange and black-themed cabin, a flat-bottom steering wheel joins a small dash-mounted screen and centre console unit – the latter being the location for the gear selector, parking brake and climate controls. A digital instrument cluster also features a compass and a 4x4-style inclinometer.

Aiming to appeal to a younger, more active market, a production car based on the Hyundai Intrado concept would sit below the compact ix35 and rival the likes of the Ford EcoSport, Holden Trax, Nissan Juke and Renault Captur.

The 2014 Geneva motor show begins on March 4.