Hyundai is one of the automakers that has put a big budget into developing hydrogen vehicles. Like other automakers with an eye on a hydrogen future, Hyundai has built affordable vehicles, but word has been that the South Korean automaker would build a production hydrogen-powered supercar as early as this year. And you know what supercar we’re talking about.
Now, if trademark applications recently found by CarBuzz are to be relied upon, Hyundai is looking serious.
A Different Kind Of Pony Car
Hyundai N74Hyundai
The N Vision 74 concept was unveiled in 2022 as a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid (meaning a battery as well as hydrogen tank) inspired by the Hyundai Pony Coupe concept from 1974. The Pony Coupe was drawn up by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, known for, among many others, the Lotus Esprit, BMW M1, and Ferrari 250 GT. The Hyundai N Vision 74 concept pays homage to the Pony Coupe but with a more industrial design language.
In December 2023, Hyundai said that the N Vision 74 would be in production with 200 units starting in 2026. Given how automakers dribble information and teasers for a new car, that doesn’t seem likely to happen unless Hyundai starts the hype machine very soon.
However, we now have two trademarks filed in the US and Canada – Hyundai N (Hybrid Hydrogen) Vision 74 and a simplified Hyundai N74 – that suggest the hype machine could be just around the corner. Could this mean multiple versions of the sharp-looking car, possibly with a conventional powertrain?
A Modern Retro Modern Supercar
Hyundai N74Hyundai
To get the N74 going, the concept is based around a 62.4 kWh battery and 85 kW fuel cell stack working together to produce 679 horsepower and 663 lb-ft of torque. That power goes to the rear wheels via two electric motors, and the car has old-school sports car proportions – 194.9 inches in length, 78.5 inches in width, and a 114.3-inch wheelbase. But an all-electric sports car is still a big sell, let alone a hydrogen one when fueling stations are so rare.
The N74’s exclusivity of 200 units and its incredible looks may be enough to sell it, though, because it is near pitch-perfect in its nostalgia mixed with a modern stance and style. There’s a long list of classic sports and supercars you can read into SangYup Lee’s design, from the Audi Quattro to the Volkswagen Scirocco via the BMW M1.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
Hyundai N Vision 74 Concept Ulsan MuseumBelinda Anderson/CarBuzz/Valnet
The consumer-level hydrogen dream looks all but over for now in the US as the hydrogen stations have all but dried up outside the trucking industry. And they were mainly in California anyway. However, Hyundai is still a believer in the long term, to the point that it broke ground on a new hydrogen fuel cell production facility in Ulsan, Korea, at the end of 2025.
Despite the trademark filing in the US, we suspect the chances of the N74 being offered here are incredibly slim. But, building some to sell in South Korea and maybe other countries that are still pushing forward would be a bold statement and great publicity. We can’t help but think if Hyundai built N74 models as electric-only vehicles as well, it would have a market and help push electric vehicles as enthusiast models forward.
Trademark filings do not guarantee the use of such nomenclature in future vehicles and are often used exclusively as a means of protecting intellectual property. Such a filing cannot be construed as confirmation of a production-bound application.
Source: TMview
