Hyundai’s presence at this year’s Geneva Motor Show was that of a quiet disposition. They do have nice lineup though, with the new Genesis sedan making its European debut, a bespoke sports car designed by IED, and this, the Intrado Concept. This car is probably the most important of the three, as it’s a fuel-cell crossover vehicle.

Hyundai Intrado is the first concept designed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group, and the man who turned Kia into the global player it is today with his magical pen. It has a futuristic, yet quite normal design with funky large wheels, caricaturized features and huge ground clearance. It looks quite good fun.

But it is what’s under that skin that matters most. Hyundai Intrado is powered by a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that utilises a 36 kW lithium-ion battery. This system works a lot more efficiently than the one that went before, giving a much bigger range and better performance.

The fuel cell system does not carry the entire weight of being efficient though. The Intrado benefits from an innovative lightweight construction and precisely designed airflow. Intrado shows the company’s desire to produce lighter, stronger cars that are even better to drive and simpler to repair, influenced by insights into how consumers are likely to interact with their cars in the future. At the heart of the car is a super-lightweight frame formed from a mixture of advanced materials and constructed by new manufacturing and joining techniques.

Fuel cell is a large part of Hyundai’s green car lineup for the future. They already have an ix35 FCEV in limited production, and they are on their way to become the pioneer of this field, becoming the first automaker to sell fuel cell cars on a large scale.