Is it just me, or do too many new vehicles look about the same? Hyundai believes it’s time to end a popular trend that nearly every EV has nowadays.
Hyundai looks past the LED lightbar for new EV design
The LED light bar has been around for a while. In the early 2000’s Xenon headlights were the hit trend, offering much brighter light while consuming less energy.
Although it was initially mainly found on luxury vehicles, Hyundai was one of the first to jump on the trend, working to make it more widely available at a lower cost.
Over the past few years, the trend has evolved into a thin LED light strip stretched across the front and sometimes the rear of the vehicle.
Since most brands are slapping it on electric vehicles, it’s become almost a status symbol of the EV movement. In early 2023, Hyundai revealed the new “EV-derived, futuristic” design for the Kona Electric, placing a heavy emphasis on the front LED lightbar.
Nowadays, nearly every vehicle, EV or gas-powered, has the popular design feature. Even Tesla hopped on the trend with the new Model Y, Model 3, and Cybertruck.
According to Hyundai’s design boss, Simon Loasby, LED lightbars are “almost at the end of their journey.” After unveiling the new Concept Three at the Munich Motor Show last week, Loasby explained to Car Magazine on the sidelines, “When is the time you need to let go [of light bars], it’s almost like the end of that.”
Although Hyundai recently added the lightbar to the Grandeur, Kona, and Sonata, Loasby said he’s “seen enough.”
“It worked at the time, and it was absolutely right, the Grandeur was the first car with a one-piece structure. The biggest thing is the cost level, you just can’t afford to do it and some customers don’t need it,” Hyundai’s design chief explained.
In China, “you must have it,” Loasby said, but in other markets, like Europe and the US, it’s not needed. Hyundai is instead focusing on differentiating itself with its unique pixel lightning, found on the IONIQ EV models.
Hyundai has already had a few copy its design, notably the Fiat Grande Panda, which Loasby joked, “thanks for copying, thanks for being inspired by us.”
It may be time for a shake-up. Loasby said, “I think we are almost at the end of journey in terms of lighting. It’s almost like chrome.”
Hyundai’s new Concept Three, which is expected to launch as the IONIQ 3 in production form, did not feature a full LED lightbar. Instead, it had an updated pixel lightning design.
Electrek’s Take
I have to agree with Loasby on this one. I must admit that at first, I was a fan of the sleek look of a nice, slim lightbar, especially at night.
The more I see it, the more it reminds me of a Toyota now. And that’s nothing against them (It is the world’s largest automaker), but should a Tesla Model Y, or even a Porsche 911, look the same as a Toyota from the front? I’ll let you determine that one.
I drive a 2023 Tesla Model 3, the last of the pre-facelift version, and was pretty bummed to see how cool the updated Model 3 looked at first. The more I see them, though, the more I like the design of the first-gen Model 3 and its wide eyes. It’s unique. Now, the Model 3 looks like any other vehicle, at least, in my opinion.
Is it time to put an end to the LED lightbar? Let us know how you feel about it below.
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