Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, revealed the Mint Concept at the New York Auto Show. The car introduces the all-electric, luxury car for the city, a new vehicle typology, featuring organic design and an innovative interior user experience. “The Mint Concept disconnects the physical dimensions of the vehicle from its positioning as a premium product, calquing the city car of the past to today,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group. “The car is a designer’s Occam’s razor that challenged us to visualize a scaled-down interpretation of our signature aesthetic”.
The Mint Concept respects city life and the challenges it dispatches on a regular basis. The lightweight runabout reimagines the iconic shape of the city car, tailored to the needs of modern lifestyle. Mint is both highly maneuverable and exhilarating to drive. The car represents a holistic collaboration among Genesis design studios located around the world, led by Genesis Global Advanced Design in Germany, Genesis Design Team in the U.S., and the Namyang Design Center in South Korea. Inside and out, the concept posits an expanded definition of Genesis brand design cues adapted for a two-door, two-passenger city car with a reduced footprint. Finished in Hunter Green matte paint, the Mint Concept beautifully stretches a threebox design to the corners with extremely short front and rear overhangs. “The Mint Concept is a new urban icon that marries classic proportions with forwardlooking, minimalist design and instantly finds purpose and meaning in the city, just as so many people who call the world’s most densely populated metropolises home”, said Donckerwolke.
Like a carefully furnished city dwelling constrained by space requirements, the Mint Concept takes advantage of every cubic inch of its interior. The cozy space for two is made to feel expansive, through the use of lightweight textiles, cognac leather, and mullion-free windows. “The interior styling of the Mint Concept takes influence from the Korean tradition of embracing the empty space, as well as modern European furniture design,” Donckerwolke said. The oblong steering wheel is surrounded by six copper Graphic User Interface (GUI) information screens that call attention to critical vehicle functions individually. A seventh screen mounted flush in the steering wheel displays primary vehicle information while allowing the driver to maintain focus on the road ahead.
