Introduced at the Consumer Electronic Show last week, Hyundai’s Elevate concept is part car, part robot and at first glance maybe a little bit alien.  The more you look at it and watch how it can move, the more you start to see how its maneuverability and reach would be useful, even life saving, in so many different scenarios. 

“By combining the power of robotics with Hyundai’s latest EV technology, Elevate has the ability to take people where no car has been before, and redefine our perception of vehicular freedom. Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 10 feet off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain, back to the road potentially saving its injured passengers – this is the future of vehicular mobility.”

David Byron
 

Design manager, Sundberg-Ferar

Any first responder will tell you that the first 72 hours following a natural disaster are the most crucial to saving lives and Elevate’s unique ability would allow it to reach victims much faster than traditional modes of transportation.  

Here are just a few concept photos of how Elevate could be used in both emergency and everyday scenarios. 

It can drive or walk, stay low or raise itself up and the body can be switched out from a wheel-chair accessible taxi to a first responder rescue vehicle.  Elevate can climb a five-foot wall, step over a five-foot gap, walk over diverse terrain, and achieve a 15 foot wide track width, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level.  

Further, the combination of wheeled motion with articulating legs provides a new paradigm of mobility by enabling faster walking speeds, unique dynamic driving postures and torsional control at the end of each leg. 

Is Elevate be the future of transportation?  We don’t know yet, but it’s nice to see Hyundai using their considerable resources in such innovative and forward-looking ways.