Hyundai and Kia have patented a powered two-way tailgate that uses a single drive motor to handle both conventional downward opening and sideways panel operation. A second motor controls a clutch mechanism that directs power to either the bottom hinge for raising and lowering the entire tailgate, or to a spindle that swings one section sideways.
The design works like a small transmission, sending one motor's output to two different mechanisms. The system includes control logic that checks both tailgate latches are engaged and the vehicle is stopped before executing either opening sequence. It then selects the appropriate drive path, releases the corresponding latch, and powers the gate open.
Current two-way tailgates from Ford, Honda, and Ram require manual operation for side-opening. Only Ford's version offers powered raising and lowering. Hyundai and Kia's approach eliminates manual work for both functions while avoiding the unnecessary complexity and weight of two separate drive motors.
The vertical hinge in this design sits at the seam between the tailgate's two sections, differing from Honda and Ram implementations where the hinge is on the truck bed. Ford also uses a mid-tailgate vertical hinge but surrounds its panel with more tailgate on either side.
If produced, the system would likely appear on the mid-size body-on-frame pickup Hyundai has promised. Hyundai has also patented a hardtop for a related SUV with one-person assembly capability, though there is no guarantee either innovation will reach production.