Skip to main content

Kia Futuron concept is an electric SUV inspired by UFOs

A big part of Kia’s transformation from bargain-basement brand to mainstream player has been design. Kia has sought to highlight improvements under the skin by dressing its cars in stylish bodywork. To keep the buying public from getting tired of its styling, Kia is trying out a new look on an electric SUV concept called the Futuron.

Recommended Videos

Sounding like something that rolled out of one of General Motors’ Motorama shows, the Futuron is an SUV coupe. These vehicles, which feature fairly standard SUV bodies combined with lower rooflines, have been popularized by luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. No mainstream brand has offered an SUV coupe so far, and it’s unclear if Kia plans to put the Futuron into production.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Kia said the design was partially inspired by UFOs, with the roof intended to look like the central dome of a classic B-movie flying saucer. The roof houses a ring of lidar sensors that enable autonomous driving, according to Kia. The Futuron also has what Kia calls “Star Cloud” lighting. Inspired by nebulae, Kia claims, it uses a matrix of LED elements to create complex shapes, giving the Futuron a distinctive look even at night.

The Futuron was designed for Level 4 autonomous driving, according to Kia. That means it can utilize autonomous or manual modes. The interior is reconfigurable to accommodate both. The front seats move from an upright position in manual mode to a reclined position in autonomous mode. The setup was inspired by the reclining seats used in first class on airliners, according to Kia. Instead of a separate instrument cluster and infotainment screen, designers made one wraparound screen that surrounds the steering wheel.

Kia didn’t offer many details about the powertrain. It did say that the Futuron has all-wheel drive, with one motor mounted to each wheel. The battery pack is mounted underneath the floor, providing a low center of gravity. The mounting position of the battery pack (which has already been done on production cars from Tesla and others), combined with the in-wheel motors, gave designers more freedom in penning the shape of the body, Kia claims.

The Futuron likely won’t go into production, but some of its design elements might show up on future Kia models. In the United States, Kia currently sells an electric version of the Niro tall hatchback, and a new Soul EV is slated to arrive in 2021 after some delay.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Range Rover’s first electric SUV has 48,000 pre-orders
Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition

Range Rover, the brand made famous for its British-styled, luxury, all-terrain SUVs, is keen to show it means business about going electric.

And, according to the most recent investor presentation by parent company JLR, that’s all because Range Rover fans are showing the way. Not only was demand for Range Rover’s hybrid vehicles up 29% in the last six months, but customers are buying hybrids “as a stepping stone towards battery electric vehicles,” the company says.

Read more
Scout Motors creates connections with its new electric Terra truck and Traveler SUV
Scout Terra and Traveler driving onto the compass-face stage.

Scout Motors invited roughly 300 people to the hills of Franklin, Tennessee, to reveal the Scout Traveler SUV and Terra truck electric concept vehicles. The automaker brought in journalists such as myself, active lifestyle bloggers, YouTubers, automotive industry analysts, and enthusiasts and fans of the original International Harvester Scout.

Scout Motors calls the new, rugged vehicle the Connection Machine. The reveal event aimed to establish a solid connection between the concept EVs and the attendees. The automaker also used the occasion to announce the immediate ability to reserve a Scout vehicle with a $100 fully refundable deposit.
The Scout legend

Read more
2025 Porsche Macan EV first drive: electrifying a bestseller
2025 Porsche Macan

Porsche is giving EVs a major vote of confidence. While the brand will continue to sell non-EVs for many years, including the emblematic 911, it developed the second generation of the Macan exclusively with electric power in mind. You won’t find a twin-turbocharged V6 or a plug-in hybrid system on the specifications sheet; it’s all electric, all the time. That’s a bold move -- we’re talking about one of Porsche’s bestselling models, not a niche car that has a greater effect on image than on sales. Was it the right move? Join us as we find out.
Subtly electric

There’s no mistaking the new Macan for its predecessor when you walk past it. It’s characterized by styling cues that align it with the Taycan sedan, which was the first series-produced electric Porsche. Up front, rectangular lights are accented by four individual LEDs; in back, there’s a light bar that makes the SUV appear wider than it actually is. Nothing about the design screams “I’m electric!” but there are relatively subtle hints if you know where to look. Here’s a cheat sheet: the front overhang is shorter than the original Macan’s and the wheelbase is nearly 4 inches longer. That’s because engineers had to package a massive battery pack rather than an engine.

Read more