Hyundai's latest electric SUV concept has a "sanitary" living room interior.

Hyundai unveiled a new all-electric SUV concept car on Wednesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2021, complete with lounge seating and a "hygienic" interior, a fitting feature as we approach the third year of the covid-19 epidemic.

Concept cars are exactly what they sound like: experiments in imagination and technology that can lead to the development of a future vehicle. But just because a car appears as a concept at a car show does not guarantee that it will ever be available at your local dealer. In this scenario, Hyundai has built a full-size SUV concept based on a genuine buy-it-from-dealer.

The concept: hygienic interiors

While many other manufacturers have presented ideas with similar lounge-like interiors and chairs that rotate 360 ​​degrees before the day when completely autonomous driving becomes a reality for the people, the SEVEN concept is distinguished by its sanitary interior elements.

To begin with, a "Hygiene Air Flow" system can separate the airflow between the front and rear passengers. In "vertical position" air enters the car through the intake in the roof rails and comes out through the wheel valves. In the horizontal position, or what we usually refer to as standard car ventilation, the air moves from the front and rear. According to Hyundai, the technology will work regardless of whether the car is in motion or parked, and it has been inspired by more advanced systems used on aircraft.

In addition to bespoke ventilation, Hyundai demonstrated its concept of keeping the inside clean between passengers and travel - an important factor given that we will all be sharing driverless vehicles in the future. This type of risk is quite significant in the pandemic age because the covid-19 virus is spread by airway droplets and aerosols that can persist for several hours on various types of surfaces, including fabric.

The UVC sterilization cycle in the SEVEN concept begins after the passengers have left the vehicle. UVC, or Ultraviolet-C, light is a disinfectant for air, water and non-porous surfaces, and the FDA reports that it kills the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes covid. UVC light can burn eyes and skin, so all passengers must get out of the car before starting treatment.

Hyundai has incorporated unique elements such as copper, which have antibacterial properties, and hygienically treated fabric to further limit the transmission of subsequent infections, in addition to tailored airflow and UVC sterilization. Hyundai even provided a "shoe freshener" that cleaned and deodorized your shoes.

Proper charge and range

Hyundai's SEVEN Concept will be built on the company's Electric Global Modular Platform, or E-GMP. That platform already serves as the basis for several cars in the Hyundai-Kia group, including the new all-electric crossover Ioniq 5, the first Hyundai car manufactured on it. It is the same platform as the Kia EV6 and will serve as the cornerstone for future electric vehicles from Hyundai-premium Kia's brand, Genesis.

For real cars like the Ioniq 5, the platform allows electric cars to charge at 400-volt and 800-volt speeds, allowing it to charge from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes on a 350 kW DC fast charger. The larger 77.4 kWh battery pack, according to Hyundai, can provide up to 300 miles of range.

While concept cars are sometimes vaporware, the Hyundai SEVEN idea presents an exciting combination of imagined and real that gives the public a taste of what the company believes the transport of the future may contain.