Hyundai Prophecy and 45 SUV are jumping from concept to production in record time

The Hyundai Prophecy is an evocative concept car. It's a four-door all-electric luxury sedan with the shape of a vintage whale-tail Porsche. And based on the latest report by Auto Express, the Prophecy concept is entering production as the next-gen Hyundai Ioniq.

But that's not all. The South Korean automaker is also earmarking the Hyundai 45 Concept for production. We first saw the Hyundai 45 at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year. It combines timeless, analog styling with the latest in electrified technology.

Together, the Prophecy and 45 will lead Hyundai's arsenal of new electric cars. Hyundai is bent on veering away from the typical 'Russian doll' approach of other automakers by coming up with distinctive models across its lineup.

"The Prophecy is inspired by the 1930s streamlined era, while the 45 is more inspired by the 1970s but a more modern SUV style that's more mainstream," said SangYup Lee, Hyundai Senior Vice President and Head of Hyundai Global Design Center in an exclusive interview with Auto Express. "There will be a production version of Prophecy coming after a production version of the 45 concept," confirmed Lee.

And with that, it seems the 45 will be first to enter production followed by the Prophecy, which makes a lot of sense. Crossovers and SUVs are more popular than sporty sedans, and the 45 Concept is based on a five-door hatchback design. The '45' name is derived from the bevy of 45-degree angles on the vehicle's body. It's an all-electric crossover with a wedge-inspired design and dual sliding doors – the latter of which should be standard in the production version.

Meanwhile, the Prophecy is riding on Hyundai's new E-GMP or Electric Global Modular Platform. According to the automaker, E-GMP will be the backbone of around 13 electrified Hyundai vehicles by 2022, with around nine more coming in the next three years. Similar to the 45, the Prophecy has retro-inspired styling cues with a boat-tail rear treatment, propeller-inspired wheels that draw heat away from the anchors, and pixelated headlights and taillights for a modernist touch.

"The Prophecy is a future sedan, but not a traditional type of sedan," added Lee. "The EV skateboard platform with short overhangs and a cowl pulled forward enables us to stretch the cabin to provide more space inside."

Hyundai's approach is a welcome respite from the cookie-cutter models we're all accustomed today, most especially car-based crossovers and SUVs. And while the 45 and Prophecy are worlds apart in terms of styling, this is how Hyundai envisions the future of the brand. "Our cars will be more like a chessboard where you have a King, Queen, Bishop, and Knight," said Lee. "This is what the Hyundai look is all about – diversifying our design to fulfill our customer's lifestyle."

The Hyundai 45 will enter production by the end of 2020 while the Prophecy is slated to replace the Ioniq by 2021. From then on, electric cars will never be the same again.