Building such a big vehicle without B-pillars is challenging, but Genesis is confident it can do without them
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by Brad Anderson
4 hours ago
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- The concept has a sleek design with LEDs that sit perfectly flush with the bodywork.
- Cars without B-pillars have been built before, like the small BMW i3.
- Passing safety standards in the Neolun without B-pillars poses a challenge.
Genesis recently previewed its forthcoming flagship electric SUV that will serve as its equivalent to the Kia EV9 and upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 7. This new model, shown as a concept badged the Neolun, has been presented with several intriguing features and even lacks B-pillars. While having a vehicle of this size without B-pillars may seem challenging, the brand’s head designer likes the idea of making this feature a production reality.
Creating a car without B-pillars isn’t something new; other automakers like BMW with the i3 and Ford with the B-Max minivan have done the same before. However, according to a recent interview with Motor1, head designer SangYup Lee expressed that achieving safety standards without B-pillars in a vehicle as large as the Neolun would pose a significantly greater challenge.
Read: Genesis Neolun Concept Previews BMW X7 Rival, While GV60 Magma, Performance Brand
“A car like this, when you roll, the roof has to be strong enough to hold the weight,” he explained. “But as I said, never say never… Without the B-pillar, look at how big this space is. Imagine when you pull up to a beautiful concert with a red carpet, staging door opens, or when you go to the beach, staging door opens and you have the whole sea in front of you.”
The lack of B-pillars has allowed Genesis to provide the Neolun with a big and expansive cabin which makes it seem more like a luxurious living room than a car interior. The concept also includes front seats that can spin around, adding to the sense of space. However, it is unlikely these seats will find their way into production. But, some other nice features may.
One of these is the rear-seat entertainment system that includes two small displays that fold down from the headliner. The rear suicide doors are also feasible.
Technical details about the production version of the Neolun concept are not yet known but like the Ioniq 7 and EV9, it should be underpinned by the group’s E-GMP platform and offered with 76 kWh and 100 kWh battery packs.
