Hyundai has introduced a number of extreme mobility concepts over the years, but the company is getting serious about them as they’ve announced plans to invest $20 (£16.1 / €19) million to design and build the vehicles in Bozeman, Montana.
While Bozeman is about as far away from the automotive industry as you can get, it’s home to Montana State University’s Innovation Campus which will be the site of a new Research, Development and Lab Center from Hyundai’s New Horizons Studio.
The facility is slated to span 12,000 to 15,000 square feet and will focus on next-generation vehicle architectures, product design and development, testing, and end-user/commercial production and smart assembly. The facility will also be tasked with conducting market research and assessment as well as development and testing of composted material.
Also Read: Hyundai’s Elevate Concept Will Drive And Walk Anywhere To Save Lives
The team at NHS Bozeman will initially focus on “refining the development, testing and deployment” of two ultimate mobility vehicles (UMV) including an “uncrewed transforming intelligent ground excursion robot” similar to the one that was unveiled in 2021. It’s designed to carry an assortment of payloads over treacherous terrain.
The second UMV will be inspired by the 2019 Elevate concept. It’s a larger vehicle – which is roughly the size of a two-person ATV – and features “robotic legs that can address challenging driving situations and potentially save lives as the first responder in natural disasters.”
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