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.
