Hyundai Mobis Comes Up with ‘Parabolic Motion’ Glove Box Optimized for EVs

A view of Kia Motors’ SUV EV9, outfitted with the “Parabolic Motion Glove Box,” optimized for EVs. (Photo: Hyundai Mobis)

Hyundai Mobis supplies a globe box optimized for EVs for use in Kia Motors’ large-size electric SUV, the EV9.

This innovative development notably includes an expanded glove box capacity and user-friendly design, which minimizes the risk of knee collisions when the glove box is opened.

Hyundai Mobis revealed on Aug. 2 that it had developed a ‘Parabolic Motion Glove Box,’ a concept inspired by the aircraft overhead bin.

‘Parabolic Motion’ alludes to the parabolic trajectory, mirroring the path followed by overhead airplane luggage compartments.

This underscores its distinct motion pattern, a stark contrast to the straightforward rotation or covers opening type glove boxes found in traditional vehicles.

Given that the design and composition of recently developed electric vehicles deviate from those of conventional internal combustion vehicles, Hyundai Mobis engineered the glove box explicitly for electric vehicles.

Eliminating an internal combustion engine area in electric vehicles broadens passenger space, facilitating an expansion of the glove box’s storage capacity.

In automotive terminology, a ‘glove box’ is a compartment near the passenger’s knee, typically storing items such as car manuals, tissues, sunglasses, and foldable umbrellas.

It is one of the most oversized compartments available in a car for storing small items.

In its quest to optimize the glove box for electric vehicles, Hyundai Mobis significantly enlarged its storage capacity.

Conventional internal combustion vehicles typically offer a glove box capacity of around 5.5L.

However, by adopting the parabolic motion approach, Hyundai Mobis has increased this capacity to over 8L.

Consequently, this increase allows the storage of more oversized items than traditional internal combustion vehicle glove boxes.

Apart from boosting capacity, usability has been enhanced, including simplified item retrieval and insertion and reducing knee collision instances when the glove box is opened.

Hyundai Mobis’ latest technological breakthrough originated from an in-house idea contest.

This inventive concept won a gold medal in the 2021 internal idea contest, eventually evolving into a tangible product that led to mass production.

The proposition of developing a glove box mechanism optimized for electric vehicles initially garnered much attention.

Since 2019, Hyundai Mobis has been fostering a culture of voluntary and creative R&D among its employees, having already accumulated over 3,200 ideas to date as of the first half of this year.

Choi Jae-seob, Head of Trim Module Engineering Sector at Hyundai Mobis, emphasized the importance of reinterpreting passenger space for future mobility, stating, “We are committed to the continuous development of bespoke technologies that prioritize user experience.”

Hyundai Mobis’ Joint Venture in Indonesia Designated ‘Asia Deal of the Year for 2022’

The English financial survey institution Trade Export Finance (TXF) designated Hyundai Mobis’ joint venture battery system investment in Indonesia in cooperation with LG Energy Solution as “The Asia Deal of the Year for 2022,” Hyundai Mobis said on July 2.

It was known that TXF highly appreciated the value of the battery system plant joint-venture investment and smooth fundraising process.

In August 2022, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution succeeded in borrowing low-interest, long-term loans worth $710 million for the battery system plant joint-venture investment from five foreign financial institutions.

Given the hard fund-raising conditions, such as global interest hike trends and uncertain economic conditions, the financial transaction was evaluated as a successful deal in the global financial market.

The smooth fundraising was owed by credit guarantees by K-sure, Korea’s representative export credit agency.

It was the first time the Korean export credit agency had participated in financial deals related to EVs.

As the reason for designating the joint-venture investment as the Asia Deal of the Year for 2022, TXF said the two companies’ establishment of the joint venture plant was a watershed for EVs in the Asian region.

TXF announces the best 10 transactions of each category, done in the global financial market every year.

The Indonesian battery system joint-venture plant, whose ground-breaking ceremony took place in September 2021, is to be dedicated soon.

The plant will mass produce battery systems in the coming months.