A newly surfaced Hyundai patent offers what could be the clearest look yet at the automaker’s upcoming body-on-frame SUV. The design closely resembles the Boulder Concept unveiled earlier this year, while introducing several exterior changes that may point to a battery electric vehicle.
Patent Closely Mirrors the Hyundai Boulder Concept
Hyundai introduced the Boulder Concept at the New York Auto Show earlier this year as a preview of its first body-on-frame vehicle for the U.S. market.
Although Hyundai said its first body-on-frame model will be a midsize pickup, the company described the Boulder Concept as an “SUV-shaped design preview.”
SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, called the Boulder Concept “a four-wheeled love letter to the dynamic, off-road way of life.”
The concept was developed by Hyundai’s design team in Southern California with a focus on off-road enthusiasts. It featured a boxy design, oversized 37-inch tires, safari-style fixed upper windows, coach-style doors, and several off-road-focused upgrades.
Design Patent Suggests a Battery Electric SUV
A newly surfaced design patent in India appears nearly identical to the Boulder Concept but includes several notable revisions.
The patent retains the upright SUV profile, coach-style doors, and oversized tires. However, the grille is now mostly closed instead of using the Boulder Concept’s open slotted design, a change that may indicate the vehicle is intended to be a battery electric vehicle (BEV).
The patent also replaces the Boulder Concept’s larger stacked vertical headlights with slimmer LED headlight units.
The design patent was filed by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation on May 19, 2026.
Part of Hyundai’s North American Expansion Plans
Hyundai’s upcoming body-on-frame pickup will be one of 36 new vehicles the automaker plans to launch in North America by 2030.
Hyundai has not confirmed when, or whether, a production version of the off-road SUV will be introduced.
Following the concept’s unveiling in April, Hyundai Motor President and CEO José Muñoz said, “Body-on-frame vehicles are the backbone of American work and adventure,” adding, “we intend to compete in the midsize pickup segment with everything we have.”
Powertrain Details Remain Unconfirmed
Hyundai has not announced powertrain specifications for the upcoming vehicles.
The automaker said the midsize pickup will ride on a new platform that is expected to support battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electric vehicle variants.
The newly surfaced Hyundai patent provides another look at the design direction for the company’s future body-on-frame vehicles, while Hyundai continues preparing its planned expansion of new models in North America.
