Hyundai is quietly laying the groundwork to challenge the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler in the electric era. A newly surfaced design patent filed in India reveals a rugged, body-on-frame SUV that closely mirrors the brand's aggressive Boulder Concept, but with key tweaks that strongly suggest a battery-electric powertrain.
Filed jointly by Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation on May 19, 2026, the patent showcases a boxy, upright stance complete with coach-style doors and massive oversized tires. However, unlike the open, slotted grille seen on the Boulder Concept at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, the patented design features a mostly closed-off front fascia and slim LED headlights - classic indicators of an electric vehicle.
The original Boulder Concept was designed by Hyundai’s Southern California team with a singular focus on off-road enthusiasts. SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, previously described the design language as a "four-wheeled love letter to the dynamic, off-road way of life."
While the patent previews an SUV, Hyundai has confirmed that its first body-on-frame vehicle in the US will actually be a midsize pickup truck. This upcoming truck will ride on a new platform expected to support purely electric, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electric vehicle configurations. It is part of a massive product offensive, with Hyundai planning to launch 36 new vehicles in North America by 2030.
Body-on-frame vehicles are the backbone of American work and adventure. We intend to compete in the midsize pickup segment with everything we have.
- José Muñoz, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor
The EREV Advantage in the Off-Road Wars
While a purely electric off-roader sounds appealing, the real threat to legacy brands like Jeep and Ford lies in Hyundai's multi-powertrain platform. Range anxiety remains the single biggest hurdle for off-road EV adoption; venturing off the grid without a reliable charging network is a massive deterrent for buyers.
By engineering this new body-on-frame architecture to support extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) and plug-in hybrid setups, Hyundai is directly addressing the core vulnerability of fully electric competitors like the Rivian R1S. If the production version of this SUV combines the Boulder Concept's aggressive 37-inch tire clearance with an EREV powertrain, Hyundai won't just be entering the rugged SUV segment - it could fundamentally redefine the baseline for off-road capability.
