Hyundai’s Intrado Carbon Frame Earns JEC Innovation Award for Efficiency
Hyundai Intrado’s award-winning carbon fiber frame
The Intrado, the concept car from Hyundai which debuted at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, combines intelligent design and advanced technology to meet the evolving needs and lifestyles of customers. When it was unveiled last March, it gained attention for its use of lightweight material and dynamic construction.
The concept car’s revolutionary, lightweight design has been officially recognized now with a Jury Prize in the 2015 JEC Innovation Awards in Paris. Every year, the JEC Awards recognize the latest boundary-pushing technical innovations around the world.
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Why the Hyundai Intrado’s Carbon Fiber Frame Deserved an Award
The Hyundai Intrado concept car, which debuted in 2014
The Intrado is heavily inspired by aircraft. It’s named after the underside of an aircraft’s wing, which creates lift, and its materials/structure strive for the same aerodynamic efficiency as an airplane. Its body panels are made of advanced super-lightweight steel produced by the brand’s steel division, and the Intrado is powered by a cutting-edge hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain.
However, what won the Intrado a JEC Innovation Award was the center console beam which connects the carbon fiber frame to the seating, powertrain, and essential control. The carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) sections, which are based on carbon fiber tubes, are made visible via see-through air vents and cross-sections around the door frames.
The Intrado was a global collaboration, merging the work of leading carbon fiber producers Hyosung Corporation and Lotte Chemical, with a frame produced by Axon Automotive. Its approach reduces 70% in weight on the chassis and 30% on the overall vehicle weight without compromising durability. Thus, it’s being lauded as the new frontier for carbon fiber architecture in vehicles.
The interior of the Intrado looks just as unique as the outisde
“[The] Intrado reflects our innovative efforts in the area of advanced materials, while demonstrating the close collaboration between designers at Hyundai Design Centre Europe and engineers at HMC Namyang R&D Centre,” stated Woong-chul Yang, Vice Chairman at Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) Namyang R&D Centre, when the concept car was first revealed. “The result is Intrado–a vision of how eco-friendly cars will deliver delight to our customers.”
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