Hyundai is doing something weird. In a world where every EV looks like a melted jellybean or a high-tech sneaker, the Korean giant looked at its 1970s scrapheap and saw the future. Most people think of "vintage electric cars" as DIY projects in someone's garage—swapping lead-acid batteries into an old VW Bug. But the Hyundai vintage electric car movement, specifically the Heritage Series Pony, changed the conversation. It’s a "restomod." That basically means they took the bones of the 1975 Pony, the car that put Hyundai on the map, and stuffed it with pixelated LEDs and a modern powertrain.
It's cool. Really cool.
The 1975 Pony was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he’s the guy behind the DeLorean. You can see the DNA. The sharp creases. The fastback tail. When Hyundai’s design team, led by SangYup Lee, decided to electrify this relic, they didn't just hide a battery under the seat. They turned the mirrors into cameras that sit on the fenders. They replaced the headlights with "Parametric Pixels," the same blocky lighting signature you see on the modern Ioniq 5. It’s a bridge between a time when Hyundai was a struggling underdog and its current status as a tech leader.
What Actually Is Under the Hood of a Hyundai Vintage Electric Car?
Don't expect Ioniq 6 performance figures here. The Heritage Series Pony is a concept, a "one-off" built to flex. Hyundai is notoriously quiet about the exact kilowatt-hour (kWh) capacity of the battery pack in this specific vintage build. However, we know it uses a modular electric drivetrain. Honestly, the specs aren't the point. It’s the nixie tubes.
Inside the cabin, instead of a massive iPad-style screen, Hyundai installed a gauge cluster made of glowing nixie tubes. These are vacuum tubes that use neon gas to display digits. They haven't been mass-produced in decades. It feels like Blade Runner met a mid-century office. The materials are premium—shimmering metals and matte plastics—but it keeps the original three-spoke steering wheel design. It’s a weirdly perfect mix of analog tactile feel and silent, electric torque.
The Grandfather of the Ioniq 5
If you own an Ioniq 5 or have seen one on the road, you’re looking at the direct descendant of this Hyundai vintage electric car. The Ioniq 5 was inspired by the 45 EV Concept, which was itself a tribute to the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept. It’s a bit of a meta-loop. Hyundai used its vintage heritage to justify its modern design language. Most car companies try to hide their humble beginnings. Hyundai is leaning into them.
👉 See also: How to Log Off Gmail: The Simple Fixes for Your Privacy Panic
- The 1974 Pony Coupe Concept was actually lost for years.
- Hyundai recently worked with GFG Style (Giugiaro's firm) to rebuild the original concept from scratch because the original was destroyed.
- The "Heritage Series" isn't just the Pony; they also did a Grandeur.
The Grandeur Heritage Series is arguably even more insane. It’s a boxy, 1986 luxury sedan that now has a velvet interior and a "soundbar" dashboard. It’s peak 80s chic. If the Pony is a sports-lite commuter, the Grandeur is a rolling lounge. Both cars prove that the Hyundai vintage electric car philosophy is about soul, not just range.
Why You Can't (Exactly) Buy One Yet
Here’s the reality check. You can't just walk into a dealership in Omaha and drive home a Heritage Series Pony. It’s a halo project. It exists to make the brand look sophisticated. But, it has sparked a massive interest in the aftermarket. There are companies now—think Zero Labs or Kindred Motorworks—that specialize in this "EV crate" approach.
People are looking at old Hyundais differently. Ten years ago, an early 80s Pony was a junker. Now? It’s a candidate for a Tesla small drive unit swap. The interest in a Hyundai vintage electric car has driven up the scrap value of these old chassis. It’s a niche market, but it’s growing fast.
The Engineering Hurdles
Converting an old car to electric isn't just about the motor. It’s about weight. Old cars are light. Batteries are heavy. If you put 1,000 lbs of lithium-ion cells into a 1975 Pony, the suspension will probably snap.
- Weight Distribution: Most vintage conversions put the motor in the back or front and split the battery packs to keep the center of gravity low.
- Safety: 1970s cars are basically tin cans. No airbags. No crumple zones. A vintage EV is fast, but it’s still a 50-year-old structure.
- Charging: Integrating a CCS or NACS port into a vintage body without ruining the lines is a literal art form.
Hyundai solved these issues by building the Heritage Series as a ground-up restoration with reinforced frames. It’s a "new" old car.
✨ Don't miss: Calculating Age From DOB: Why Your Math Is Probably Wrong
The Cultural Impact of the Retro-Future Aesthetic
Why do we care about a Hyundai vintage electric car? Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. We’re tired of cars that look like they were designed by a wind tunnel. We want character. We want buttons. We want those blocky, pixelated lights that remind us of 8-bit video games.
Hyundai is the only major manufacturer right now that is successfully selling "retro-futurism." Volkswagen is trying with the ID. Buzz, but Hyundai is doing it with a sharper, more aggressive edge. When the N Vision 74 concept (the hydrogen-electric hybrid) hit the internet, people lost their minds. It looked like a car from a 1980s anime. That car wouldn't exist without the Heritage Series Pony paving the way.
What Critics Get Wrong
Some purists hate this. They think an electric motor kills the "soul" of a vintage car. But honestly? The original Hyundai Pony wasn't a Ferrari. It had a buzzy, mediocre four-cylinder engine. Replacing that with a smooth, silent electric motor actually makes the car better. It becomes more reliable, faster, and easier to drive. You aren't losing a legendary exhaust note; you're gaining a spaceship.
How to Get the Look (Even If You Don't Have a Concept Car)
If you're obsessed with the Hyundai vintage electric car vibe, you don't have to wait for a production version that might never come. There are actionable ways to engage with this trend right now.
Buy the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6. These are the production versions of that vintage DNA. The Ioniq 5, in particular, captures that "folded paper" look of the original Pony. It’s the closest you can get to a mass-produced version of the Heritage Series.
🔗 Read more: Installing a Push Button Start Kit: What You Need to Know Before Tearing Your Dash Apart
Look into the E-GMP Platform. This is the architecture under Hyundai’s new EVs. It’s flat. It’s modular. If you are a hardcore tinkerer, this is the tech you’ll eventually see being salvaged for "vintage" swaps in the 2030s.
Follow the Restoration Scene. Keep an eye on the Hyundai Heritage projects. They’ve hinted at more "Heritage Series" models. A Galloper (their old SUV) or a Scoupe (their 90s coupe) could be next.
Next Steps for the Enthusiast
- Research EV conversion kits: If you actually own a vintage Hyundai, look at companies like EV West or Fellten. They provide the hardware to make the dream a reality.
- Visit the Hyundai Motorstudio: If you’re ever in Seoul or Busan, they often display these Heritage Series cars. Seeing the pixel lights in person is a different experience.
- Study the Design History: Look up the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro and how it’s being reinterpreted by SangYup Lee. Understanding the "why" behind the design makes the car even more impressive.
The Hyundai vintage electric car isn't just a marketing gimmick. It’s a statement that the future of transportation doesn't have to be boring. It can be blocky, weird, and full of nixie tubes. Even if the Heritage Series Pony remains a museum piece, its influence is already parked in thousands of driveways around the world.