Electric Dreams : Have EVs put aerodynamics over traditional design?
There are many iconic elements in car design, will they remain with electric cars or will new design features come of our electric revolution?
This article came about after seeing the new Renault Megane and realising most EVs do not have traditional door handles, not an issue, the pop out handles a choice made to extend the oh-so-precious range, but this had me thinking, what else may we lose in design to electrification?
Firstly, hatchbacks. Take a glance at a list of EVs, you will not find a hatchback in the traditional sense of the word. Now this may be because of the growing trend of crossovers but also due to packaging requirements. A batteries under the floor, skateboard design, works best when a car is raised from the ground. Furthermore, range preserving aero leans more towards swooping, elongated shapes, not boxy hatches.
Porsche Taycan - saloon of the future?
Moving on, Saloons, they still exist (Taycan and e-tron GT are examples) but not the stubby-ended , three-box saloons. We know and love. These cars have been designed to have a law drag coefficient, to slip through the air with minimal fuss. Great for getting more bang for your kilowatt, not so for evoking wistful thoughts of E36 BMW M3.
At the top end of the automotive spectrum, permanent rear wings may be history: Most Fast EVs do not have a fixed spoiler (to reduce drag and to save range, of course) but this throws up an issue. A massive rear wing is to many a hallmark of a supercar, signalling to children everywhere - this car is fast. And our electric future might not have this.
Now don’t think for a second I'm a dinosaur who can only look back. I love futuristic designs (possibly more than classic looks) but I worry that the basis of automotive design is changing and we're not ready for it. Do you agree? Would you rather look forwards or back? Comment below
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Comments (2)
Definitely backwards. EV design will be bland as further restrictions come in, and there isn't huge demand for cars that are elegant or pretty, with the market opting for loathsome SUVs.
I think it will come back around. Think about what happened to cars in the early 1980s. Most mainstream auto design was focused on saving fuel due to the recent fuel crisis. Eventually, gas became cheap again and everything got bigger.
My guess is if battery technology continues to get better range won't be at such a premium and aero design can be a little looser.