Hyundai Patents New MPV Design
Hyundai has looked to add a new outdoors angle to the MPV market with its patent of a new “sliding gullwing” design.
The new design is said to combine features of the classic Volkswagen Camper Van with Tesla’s model X, with a side door that is able to function in two ways depending on the circumstance. The first application has camping specifically in mind, with passengers being able to park up, pull up the gullwing, and open the vehicle to the outdoors.
However, as gullwing doors generally need too much opening room to be useful in a conventional setting, the Hyundai design gives the side doors a sliding function more typical of a modern MPV.
Aside from the gullwing and sliding door combination, turning an MPV into a camper can isn’t such a new idea, and some companies in the UK already converting the manufacturer’s i800 model into camper vans.
Speaking about the patent, Hyundai says that "camping has evolved from a level of just sleeping outdoors to include a step of taking a rest outdoors, and therefore, camping equipment has also continuously evolved”.