Hyundai Motor's gravity-powered Soapbox Racer undergoes testing

Hyundai has revealed a video of a camouflaged version of its new gravity-powered Soapbox Racer undergoing testing. The camouflaged vehicle's angular design, joystick steering and plywood platform makes it obvious that it is the Soapbox model.

The video shows the model completing its last steps of quality assurance. "We built the Hyundai Soapbox just like a regular car, so of course we couldn’t skip the testing," says Thomas Bürkle, Head of Hyundai Europe Design Center. “It was also ideal to have a test driver who also fit with our target customer group," he added. The test driver praised the Soapbox’s ergonomic seating position and joystick steering, though he said the acceleration could be improved.

In recent weeks, the company's first ever Soapbox has been fine-tuned for durability at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center.

The car was created by Hyundai engineers as a fun project which families or friends can build together. The Soapbox is made out of wood, metal rods, and connecting materials such as brackets and screws. It has joysticks for steering and a simple mechanism for braking. The vehicle is made primarily from environmentally-friendly materials.

Though the soapbox is built for the size of a child, due to clever engineering, it can also carry an adult’s weight. When fully assembled, the vehicle is 1 meter wide and 1,76m long. The vehicle features a gently-sloping silhouette at a 45-degree angle. Its exposed wheels and a low-lying frame give it a dynamic character. It shares its look with Hyundai's 45 concept car.