Many modern-era electric cars lack a traditional radiator grille because there is no need to cool the engine bay with the onrush of air. Hyundai Mobis, on the other hand, proposes keeping this design trait alive in future EVs because it has other, less obvious merits.
The so-called Integrated Front Face Module that the company designed for Hyundai cars can extend electric driving range by up to 20 kilometers (12 miles). It features active louvers in the grille, active air valves in the hood and more moving parts in the bumpers and the wheel arches. By altering the configuration of these parts, the car can automatically adjust the airflow in order to improve its aerodynamic performance and supply adequate cooling to the battery pack.
There are other noteworthy features in the project. For one, Hyundai researchers propose a pop-up LiDAR unit that automatically retracts when the car is parked and a charging port that swings open when approached at a charging station.
According to the designers, these innovations will also go a long way towards improving the appearance of future battery cars. Their current “solid slabs” used instead of grilles rob them of personality, making them look too similar to each other.
It is unknown when or even whether any of these experimental technologies may find mass-market implementation.