Hyundai releases stunning video of 'dream car' prototype: 'Designed to make you smile'

Hyundai has released images of its INSTEROID vehicle, a car concept that builds upon the INSTER electric model. 

CleanTechnica explored the details of the new machine and Hyundai's ambitious idea. It's not available for purchase, but the prototype is enticing. People are already having fun discussing the bold concept that feels like it drove straight out of a video game. 

Hyundai says it's "a playful interpretation of a 'dream car' designed to make you smile." 

The white and orange INSTEROID is wider than the INSTER and has an unorthodox race car appearance. This seems to be Hyundai's bid to win over the gaming community and encourage them to choose an EV when buying a new car.

Hyundai's goal to capture a new audience could boost the EV market. While the INSTEROID isn't available yet, the INSTER is on the road. It has a standard driving range of 229 miles on a single charge and is available with a 42-kilowatt-hour battery or the Long-Range 49-kilowatt-hour alternative. 

These EVs are exciting for consumers and a win for the environment. EVs create zero tailpipe emissions, reducing the production of air pollution that warms the planet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 28% of U.S. air pollution comes from transportation emissions. 

EVs aren't perfect. They are responsible for some planet-warming emissions during the manufacturing process, and mining for the precious metals needed for batteries causes some environmental harm. Charging with electricity isn't always completely clean, either, because some energy providers still rely on burning dirty fuels.

However, according to Sergey Paltsev, deputy director of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change: "Electric cars are actually much, much better in terms of the impact on the climate in comparison to internal combustion vehicles. And in time, that comparative advantage of electric cars is going to grow."

According to the MIT Insights Into Future Mobility study from 2019, gas cars emit, on average, 350 grams of harmful emissions per mile over their lifetime. This includes the pollution released during manufacturing and fueling. For full battery-electric vehicles, the emissions were only 200 grams per mile over their lifetime. 

Using an electric vehicle instead of a gas or diesel-powered car reduces air pollution. This leads to healthier air for everyone and a cooler planet.

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost 💰 Battery range 🔋 Power and speed 💪 The way it looks 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Simon Loasby, senior vice president and head of Hyundai Design Center, said: "INSTEROID is a beacon of innovation that challenges us to rethink the boundaries of automotive design. By merging the realms of gaming and sporty styling, we are not just imagining the future of mobility; we are shaping it, inviting a new generation of drivers to dream bigger and drive further." 

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