Hyundai EV Concept Car Prophecy Wins Red Dot Award Best of the Best, First Korean Car to Receive Honor

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Hyundai Motor Company's electric vehicle concept car Prophecy won the Best of Best award in the Mobility & Transportation category of the '2020 Red Dot Award' Design Concept division. Prophecy is the first Korean car to receive the top prize in the concept category of the Red Dot Award, one of the world's three major design awards.

On the 23rd, Hyundai Motor announced that its electric vehicle concept car Prophecy won the Best of Best award in the Mobility & Transportation category of the '2020 Red Dot Award' Design Concept division, hosted by the Design Center of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. At the same time, another electric vehicle concept car 45 and the hydrogen-powered large truck concept car Neptune also won main awards, making Hyundai a triple crown winner.

Started in 1955, the Red Dot Award is considered one of the world's three major design awards along with the iF and IDEA design awards. Every year, winners are announced in three categories: product design, brand & communication, and design concept. This year, out of 4,170 entries, 41 Best of Best awards and 188 main awards were selected.

Hyundai Electric Vehicle Concept Car 'Prophecy'

The Prophecy, which won the Best of Best award this time, presents the future direction of electric vehicle design based on Hyundai's design philosophy 'Sensuous Sportiness,' as its name meaning 'prophecy' suggests. Considering aerodynamics, the sleekly refined body harmonizes beauty and function, characterized by a long wheelbase (distance between wheels) and short front and rear overhangs (distance from wheel center to body end).

Additionally, the electric vehicle concept car 45, which won a main award, achieved the remarkable feat of winning all three of the world's major design awards, following the iF Design Award main prize in the transportation category of product design in February and the IDEA Design Award bronze in the automotive & transportation category in September.

First unveiled at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany, the concept car 45 features a monocoque body inspired by 1970s aircraft design, achieving aerodynamics and lightweight construction, with an exterior characterized by straight and powerful lines that create a diamond-shaped impression.

A Hyundai Motor official said, "Based on Sensuous Sportiness, which means a design that perfectly balances functionality and aesthetics, we aimed to create an emotional connection between people and cars," adding, "Going forward, Hyundai will deliver new value to customers as a global leader in the eco-friendly vehicle industry with the Ioniq brand and next-generation hydrogen electric technology."

Meanwhile, on the same day, Hyundai announced that it also won the 'Design Value Award' hosted by the Design Management Institute (DMI), the world's largest design innovation organization, marking its first award related to design strategy. DMI comprehensively evaluates the aesthetic, cultural, social, and economic effects created by design and selects the Design Value Award annually. Hyundai was highly praised for establishing the design identity of 'Sensuous Sportiness' and 'Hyundai Look' and consistently communicating with customers.