Hyundai, Kia File Patent for Sliding Liftgate for Future SUVs

More and more SUVs are available with a power liftgate that automatically opens when you push a button or sweep your feet under the rear bumper. Some even allow you to adjust the height of the liftgate in the open position, which can be useful in tight spaces including parking garages.

Taking a page from minivans with their sliding side doors, Hyundai and Kia have filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a sliding liftgate for SUVs.

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Instead of flipping upward using a set of hinges, the liftgate would be mounted on tracks and slide onto the roof to open. Obviously, this represents a space-efficient solution ideal in tight places. Also, you wouldn’t have to stand back from the vehicle to open or close the liftgate, and you wouldn’t risk hitting your head, either.

However, a sliding liftgate would likely not be compatible with crossbars or any other roof rack system. It may have a tough time in winter, too, what with all the snow and ice building up on top of the vehicle.

From a design and engineering standpoint, it’s safe to assume a sliding liftgate would be more challenging to integrate to the structure and probably more trouble-prone than a conventional hatch. As you can see on the schematics, it would also require the tail end of the vehicle to have a rounder profile, which would inevitably affect cargo capacity.

Incidentally, it’s not clear based on this patent filing whether the liftgate would be fully motorized or not.

Just how serious are Hyundai and Kia about coming to market with their idea? Time will tell. If you want to see what each company’s future SUVs might look like, don’t miss our stories on the SEVEN and EV9 concepts that were introduced at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show.