Hyundai unveils electric dune buggy concept that converts into a jet ski

Automakers have unveiled quite a few electric vehicles in Geneva this year. A few that are aimed to reach production and some destined to remain concept vehicles.

This electric dune buggy concept that converts into a jet ski by Hyundai likely falls under the second category, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless.

After having tested Nikola Powersports’ ‘NZT’ electric UTV and Taiga’s electric snowmobile, I think powersports are primed to soon go electric.

So far, it looks like startups are leading the way while established brands are just testing the waters.

At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show this week, Hyundai unveiled the ‘Hyundai Kite concept car’, an electric two-seater lightweight dune buggy, which converts into a single-seater jet ski.

The project is a collaboration between the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) and Hyundai’s Design Centre in Europe.

Hyundai describes the vehicle in a press release:

“The Hyundai Kite is a doorless, roofless and windowless vehicle that can drive both on streets and over water. It consist of a monocoque chassis with a length of 3,745 mm and a height of 1,455 mm. Its surfaces interlace, creating a continuum of twists and intersections. The designers aimed to reduce barriers between the exterior and interior to create a functional and fun car. The lines convey an idea of floating and freedom, connecting to the idea of spending leisure time near the water.

In both configurations the vehicle is equipped with electric propulsion, with four brushless engines placed inside the wheels and a water jet turbine for travelling on water. The Hyundai Kite’s human-car interaction will be controlled by the user’s mobile phone to offer customers intuitive control over all the car’s functions.”

They didn’t discuss any plans to actually make a production version of the machine and it doesn’t sound likely.