The ability to traverse rugged trails and rarely seen landscapes in complete, near-silent serenity. Hyundai is throwing its hat into this exclusive, battery-powered ring. Having already introduced the mildly trail-ready IONIQ 5 XRT crossover, the automaker is now stepping firmly into the realm of the absurdly capable with its upcoming Crater Concept.
Billed as an “extreme off-road show vehicle”, the Crater is a strikingly boxy SUV that looks ready to take on the world, or at least the lonely parts of California, since it was conceived at Hyundai’s America Technical Center in Irvine. The sketches reveal a vehicle designed for serious business, sporting beefy off-road tires, dramatically increased ground clearance, and an essential set of roof-mounted auxiliary lights.
Visually, the concept retains the signature charm of Hyundai’s electric vehicles. And there’s the brand’s distinctive pixelated LED lighting signature, ensuring it still stands out from the crowd. Crucially, the front fascia is completely closed off. While Hyundai has kept mum on the exact powertrain, the sealed-off look strongly suggests a pure battery-electric heart. After all, a car with nothing exploding under the hood to generate power has no need for a massive grille.
The Crater Concept will be revealed (with more technical details) at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20th. While the existing IONIQ 5 XRT, along with its gasoline-powered brethren like the Santa Cruz XRT and Palisade XRT Pro, offer a superficial nod to adventure with aggressive styling, they are hardly rock-crawling heroes. You are unlikely to find those pretty crossovers perched atop a difficult Moab trail.
The Crater, however, suggests Hyundai is finally serious about tackling the true off-road segment. Whether this fantastic American-born creation will ever see production remains a mystery. If Hyundai intends to prove its mettle in the dirt, the Crater is a genuinely promising, and quiet, start.
