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Automotive

Hyundai prepares for the apocalypse with Zombie Survival Machine

By C.C. Weiss
June 28, 2012
Hyundai prepares for the apocalypse with Zombie Survival Machine
Survive the apocalypse with Hyundai
Survive the apocalypse with Hyundai
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Survive the apocalypse with Hyundai
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Survive the apocalypse with Hyundai

Hyundai is getting in on the incessant zombie trend with an actual concept car designed to mow down the fearsome hordes of undead brain suckers. It's called the Zombie Survival Machine, and it looks exactly like what it sounds like. Hyundai has partnered with Robert Kirkman, creator of the famed comic book and graphic novel The Walking Dead, in building the concept for Comic-Con.

"I don't know a lot about cars, but I do know a lot about the zombie apocalypse and what I would like to have to survive," Kirkman explains in the video below. "I think that I'll be able to come up with something that looks cool, but may not be very practical or effective, because I'm not good with physics and things like that."

Helping keep the car as practical and effective as a zombie-survival mobile can ever be are Hyundai and Design Craft Fabrication. The design includes such customized features as a custom zombie plow with spikes, slatted armored window coverings, a roof hatch to allow passengers to shoot at walkers, an electric rear trunk to house weapons, all‐terrain tires, weapons storage compartments and a CB radio/PA system. Hyundai also promises much more.

While the Hyundai Elantra probably wouldn't be the first car you'd think of as an armored tool of undead destruction, Hyundai has done a pretty good job in fleshing this thing out. The undead don't stand a chance.

Below you can see the first in a four-part series on the Zombie Survival Machine's development. Kirkland explains his role in the project. Hyundai has launched Hyundaiundead.com, where you can follow along with future installments. It will debut the concept car on the July 11 preview night at Future US's booth at Comic-Con. Comic-Con runs from July 12 to 15 in San Diego.

We'll go ahead and say this one won't make production.

Source: Hyundai

Coupe Zombie Survival Edition | 2013 Elantra | Hyundai

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AutomotiveConcept CarsHyundaiSurvivalZombies
13 comments
C.C. Weiss
C.C. Weiss
Chris joined the New Atlas team in 2011 and now serves as the automotive and campers editor, traveling extensively to gather the latest news on cars, outdoor sports gear and other innovations designed to help people experience and enjoy the greater world around them.

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13 comments
zane
Looks cool, but as any zombie hunter worth his or her salt knows the only way to effectively deal with a zombie is by decapitation. At the moment this concept will be carrying around implaled but still 'living' undead!
John Parkes
I'm glad to see someone is taking this threat seriously! Zombies are an underrated disaster, i hate to see industry ignoring this threat...who will survive the Zombies? Hyundai will.
pointyup
Cute, but pointy bits up front will snag a lot of excess rubbish.
MiddleNine
As another fellow "zombie hunter" i really like this concept and am happy to see someone making this "thread" popular. The design of the car is more stylish as practical, such as Robert Kirkman explained but i think it is closer to survival than death. The only things i would change (im not trying to be a smartass here, but i do think these would better to have a revisit) are the front spikes, wheel spikes and some improvement on the window coverings. The following adjustments would make perfect:
1. Front spikes/zombie plow Spikes look really badass but it has some disadvantage. These spikes would "carry" the pieces of undead making the car slow or stop. If you are thinking in a situation as part of "The Walking Dead" and you want to get through a city...you will have to get rid of dozens of undead. I suggest to remove the spikes or replace them with blades so it would cut through.
2. Wheel spikes Those spikes are just too slim to bear the usage. They would eventually break or blend making no use anymore. Again, i would suggest to use "blades" instead of spikes for the same reason. You could use an iron tube cut in half by 45degrees and attach it to the wheel. With that solution you would get a way more solid piece of weapon.
3. Windows Window coverings leave too much of the widnows uncovered in my opinion. I would consider making more cover or replace the windows with metal coverings to prevent breaking the glass.
As for the whole concept it is only a fast scetch i belive so it is okay tho i am looking forward to see the "finished" car on Comic-Con.
As a side note: Forgive me for my bad english...
GvillaThrilla
I agree with MiddleNine... I think some rotating blades up front a la Bruce Campbell's Evil Dead 3 would be ideal... although completely impractical. The ones you don't slice through get pushed out from in front of the vehicle. Other things I would do, I would raise the suspension and fill the tires with pneumatic fluid (as we do on farm tractors in Mississippi) to prevent problems with the tires getting punctured. That would limit the top speed to about 40, but you don't have to be that fast to outrun zombies, other humans that want your stuff would be another story. Also would save on gas as with no production it won't be limitless. I would also want solid sheet metal welded over the windows with slits cut in for vision. Think central HVAC return vents. Too small to fit fingers in, but open enough to see through (it would also block sunlight from coming in decreasing the need for AC all summer long).
Rich Brumpton
I find myself agreeing that decapitation is optimal, and as an owner of a 2011 GenCoupe V6 I see a perfect opportunity to add a slicing decapitation blade to the back trunk parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the spoiler. With the right angle, and traction control disabled, this car would the perfect "DriftDecapitator(TM)" and use the "Doughnut Disembodier Defensive Driving Method(SM)"
The plow on the front is nice, but will enhance the understeer when entering a corner, so drivers should use caution and practice maneuvering before zombie threats are imminent.
Given a free hand for front and side protection I would be tempted to do a basket of semi-circular blades that leave a good 8-10" gap between the back of the blade and the body of the car. Could be interesting forcing advancing hordes to slice themselves into pieces to get close enough to touch the actual car body, but leaving a gap for sliced zombie parts to drop out to prevent fouling. Think supersized concertina wire around the car in the middle. Just have to keep moving, since the low ground clearance means that you need to keep those kills spread out when possible.
overall I would have to rate this car as "You will die eventually, but you will have a lot of fun before then!"
Serafina Tikklya
I think a big grinder machine up front with a side chute like a snow blower would be good...
pickypilot
Some of us value our, excuse the pun, "creature" comforts, even when zombie hunting. Instead of the lowly Elantra, I would suggest the flagship Equus. It is far more powerful and better able to carry the extra load of armor, not to mention the impaled bits on the zombie catcher. More importantly, the larger roof area affords multiple options for the mounting of a 20mm cannon, flamethrower or grenade launcher.
Gadgeteer
Hyundai is late to the game. The perfect zombie-killing vehicle has been around for ages, namely the 1967 model year Mach 5 from the original Speed Racer cartoon. Buzzsaws can cut a nice swath through zombie hordes. The canopy is bulletproof, so it can certainly withstand a few punches. Plus night vision headlights, the robot bird to scout ahead and the jacks to jump over especially dense groups of undead.
Marcus Carr
Pitiful.
There are so many things wrong with this design that I struggle to muster the energy to list them. For starters, the spikes are all wrong - you want a sweeper to push them to the side, not to catch them. A chest-high blade positioned forward of the sweeper would ensure that they either become bisected or go low, catching the full brunt of the sweeper. In my experience, few possess the dexterity to jump over the blade, minimising their chance to block the windscreen.
On that topic, the reinforcing over the windscreen and the roof lights both provide ideal purchase, obscuring the drivers view. Right back to the drawing board with that one, Hyundai!
As for having a door handle instead of a remote... well, the reasoning speaks for itself. The wheel spikes are poor too - as the zombies are swept aside, spikes provide a handle and therefore an opportunity to interfere with the wheels and suspension. My preferred arrangement involves vertical blades that complement the one above the sweeper in both aesthetics and functionality. Side mirrors? No, they provide a handle - rear-mounted cameras with a heads-up display...
Finally, based on the state of my bumper after a visit to the shopping centre last week, it's obvious that one of my neighbours has obtained a prototype. Kindly provide me with their details so I can contact their insurance company. Thanks and best regards.
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