You’ve seen them on Instagram or in those "future-retro" design threads. A boxy, 1980s sedan that looks like it belongs to a Yakuza boss, but it glows with pixelated LEDs. Or a tiny, silver hatchback that feels like a glitch in the Matrix. This is the hyundai classic electric car movement—officially known as the Heritage Series—and it has basically broken the car-loving part of the internet.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a tease. Hyundai takes these icons from their past, guts the old gasoline engines, and stuffs them with modern EV batteries and "Newtro" (new + retro) interiors. They look incredible. They look like the future we were promised in 1985. But here is the kicker: you can’t actually buy one.
The 1986 Grandeur: Peak "Old Money" Aesthetics
The star of this whole thing is the Heritage Series Grandeur. Back in '86, the original Grandeur was the "it" car for South Korean executives. It was a rebadged Mitsubishi Debonair, sure, but it carried a massive amount of status.
Hyundai’s designers took a genuine first-gen model and went to town on it. They didn't just paint it; they re-engineered the soul of the car. The exterior keeps that glorious, slab-sided "box" look, but the grille and lights now use the same Parametric Pixel design you’ll see on the Ioniq 5.
Inside? It’s a velvet-drenched fever dream.
- Burgundy Velvet: They used actual velvet for the seat fronts because that’s what luxury meant in the mid-80s.
- The Soundbar: Instead of a standard plastic dash, there is a massive ultra-wide screen and an integrated soundbar designed by Guk-il Yu.
- Hidden Details: There's a secret watch compartment in the armrest. Why? Because why not.
- The Piano: When the car is parked, the touchscreen turns into a playable digital piano.
It’s weird. It’s bold. It’s exactly what car design is missing right now. Most modern EVs look like melted bars of soap because of aerodynamics. The Grandeur, however, cuts through the air like a brick and looks cool doing it.
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The Pony EV: Where the Heritage Started
Before the Grandeur, there was the Pony. This was Korea’s first mass-produced car, originally styled by the legend Giorgetto Giugiaro (the guy who designed the DeLorean).
The Heritage Series Pony is a three-door hatchback that looks like it was plucked out of a cyberpunk anime. It’s finished in a matte silver that highlights every sharp crease. The coolest part isn't the electric motor, though. It's the dashboard.
Instead of a boring iPad glued to the dash, Hyundai used Nixie tubes for the instrument cluster. Those are those glowing vacuum tubes from the 70s. It gives off this warm, orange, analog hum that makes a Tesla screen look like a doctor’s office waiting room.
Is the Hyundai Classic Electric Car actually coming to showrooms?
This is where I have to be the bearer of bad news. Hyundai has been very clear: these are "one-off" concepts. They are "Rolling Labs" and design studies.
Why won't they build them? Money and safety. Mostly safety.
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Modern crash standards are brutal. Those thin pillars and sharp edges that make the 1986 Grandeur look so "mafia-chic" would never pass a 2026 side-impact test. To make it street-legal, Hyundai would have to beef up the frame so much that the car would lose its proportions. It would get fat. And nobody wants a fat 80s sedan.
However, the DNA is spreading. The Ioniq 5 exists specifically because the Pony Heritage project was such a hit. The upcoming N Vision 74—that hydrogen-hybrid beast everyone is obsessed with—is a direct descendant of the 1974 Pony Coupe concept.
Building Your Own "Classic" EV
Since you can't walk into a dealership and buy a Heritage Grandeur, people are taking matters into their own hands. The "EV Restomod" scene is exploding.
It's not easy. If you want to take an old 80s Hyundai (or any classic) and make it electric, you’re looking at a project that costs anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000+ depending on how much range you want.
You basically need:
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- A Donor Car: Finding a clean 80s Grandeur or Pony in the US is like finding a unicorn. You'd likely have to import one from Korea.
- The Motor: Most people are using salvaged Tesla motors or Nissan Leaf stacks.
- The Battery: This is the heavy part. Fitting enough kWh into a car designed for a gas tank is a Tetris puzzle from hell.
- The Software: Making the throttle talk to the motor and the battery management system (BMS) requires some serious coding or a very expensive control module.
The Reality of the "Newtro" Trend
The hyundai classic electric car series isn't just about nostalgia. It's a middle finger to the idea that electric cars have to be boring. It proves that we can have the soul of the past with the tech of the future.
While you might not be able to buy the exact car with the velvet seats and the piano dashboard, the fact that Hyundai is even making these shows they’re listening. They’ve realized that car people don't just want "transportation appliances." We want things that look like they have a story.
What you can actually do right now:
If you love this aesthetic, keep an eye on the Ioniq series and the N brand. Hyundai is the only major manufacturer currently willing to put "pixel" lights and "origami" folds into mass production. If you're feeling brave, start hanging out on the OpenInverter or DIYElectricCar forums. The tech to build your own "heritage" EV is getting cheaper every year, even if the labor is still a nightmare.
The dream of a boxy, silent, LED-infused future isn't dead—it's just moving from the factory floor to the enthusiast’s garage.
Actionable Insight: If you’re serious about the retro-EV look but can't build your own, look for "Parametric" design elements in the current Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the 2025/2026 Grandeur (GN7) hybrid models. They are the closest street-legal versions of this design language you can actually put in your driveway.