First Sight: Hyundai Initium concept

There is a well-worn joke about hydrogen fuel circulating in the American automotive industry. It goes something like this: “Hydrogen. It’s the fuel of the future – and always will be.” OK, so you won’t fall off your chair laughing, but the joke underscores the challenges of a hydrogen automotive economy when compared to petroleum, or even a pure electric car.

Only Toyota, Hyundai and Honda (until recently) placed hydrogen cars in the American marketplace, and even then, only in California, which has a modest hydrogen filling station network. Given the limited number of stations, the owner of a hydrogen car is quite the pioneer and adventurer. Most owners limit travel to within a 120 km radius of their home to assure they don’t run out of fuel. Talk about range anxiety.

It’s in this context that Hyundai introduces the Initium concept, a hydrogen fuel cell SUV. Powered by Hyundai’s latest fuel cell technology, the Initium extends the range of travel to some 650 kilometers and provides room for a family and all their gear – some of it up top, as the roof rack indicates.

The Initium also introduces Hyundai’s new “Art of Steel” design language. At the introduction ceremony, SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai and Genesis global design, presented the Initium concept, saying,

“Our challenge began from the manufacturing stage, where we pushed the formability of steel to the extreme to create a form of art,” Lee said. “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.”

Hyundai’s press release continues: “Initium’s distinct SUV-like aesthetic seamlessly integrates city living functionality with outdoor adventure capability, with its bold lines and solid structure balancing sturdiness and sophistication. The concept’s 21-inch wheels complement the overall design, with a rugged roof rack adding practicality for those with both urban and outdoor lifestyles.”

Armchair design critics on X (Twitter) were quick to compare the Initium to everything from the Pontiac Aztec to the Isuzu Rodeo. The comparisons were not favourable. And, at first glance, the form does look like something we’ve seen before. Of course, finding a unique expression in the world of SUVs is a hard thing these days – the format so dominates the American market that finding a unique design expression is a real struggle.

An initial survey of the design reveals a standard SUV profile and massing. The front face does employ a variation of Hyundai’s digital light signature of rectangles and squares and seems well proportioned.

At the lower corners of the front mask, the square light clusters are organised into a larger square with a ‘+’ in the middle, which is the symbol for HTWO, Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell initiative, of which passenger vehicles are but a small part. The motif is repeated across the grille, and is flanked by narrow rectangular headlights. It’s definitely a strong DRG, and a new composition of Hyundai’s well-established ‘digital’ light signature. The square and ‘+’ is repeated at the taillights, too.

At the sides, the massing definitely is chunky, but the pronounced arches and 21-inch wheels soften the visual effect. The modeling is slab-sided, with some incised strakes along the lower doors, and an angled character line rising to the roof at the angled C pillar. The rear hatch angles down dramatically to lighten the overall composition from a typical SUV box.

The interior is described in the press release, but with no press photos, it suggests there’s no interior just yet. Hopefully, that will appear soon.

About that name: Initium seems like the name of an exotic rare earth element, but is in fact a simple Latin term for ‘beginning’ or ‘first’, and signifies Hyundai’s commitment to hydrogen fuel cells and a commitment to leadership in a hydrogen economy.

The Initium concept is scheduled for an appearance at the Guangzhou Motor Show and the Los Angeles Auto show, both this month. We look forward to a closer look and a better sense of how it looks “in the metal.” Stay tuned for photos and more analysis from the show.