Hacker News Reader

Comment by GoToRO | Hacker News Reader

Ever wondered why electric cars from established manufacturers are all ugly? that's why: they develop the technology but they don't want people to buy them yet. They are too good for the customer and they would not be able to make money off of them, after the initial sale.

View on HN

Teslas Model X is ugly? The BMW i8 is ugly? I'd be very curious to see what a none ugly car is in your opinion.

Tesla doesn't count as an established manufacturer in this context. And the i8 is a hybrid, not a pure electric car. In any case, I don't think the original statement was meant to be absolute, just pointing out a trend.

BMW i3. Just look at that line under the window of the rear door. It's like the designer forgot how to draw for a split second and he never reviewed the design.

Oh, and I never understood why you have to change the design for an electric car? Just use the same design. The electric motor and batteries save space, they don't need more.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/BM...

sometimes for improved aerodynamics, for example the ugly headlights on the Nissan Leaf break up airflow along the side of the car so that the drag caused by the side mirrors is reduced.

I agree with the GP and parent, and yes the i3 is awful (i3 driver here), but there are many EVs now that look like normal cars: Fiat 500e, VW Golf, Kia Soul, various Fords.

They look like normal versions of not-that-normal looking cars (I mean, the Kia Soul is pretty far from normal in my book).

I'd like to see EVs that just blend in with the average midsize sedans like Camrys and Accords.

But obviously these EV designs have to meet some divergent design requirements from those, so maybe it can't be done (cheaply enough?) yet.

"The BMW i8 is ugly?"

The i8 is not an electric car.

It's a fancy looking hybrid car with a clownish little lawnmower engine inside. It's an exercise in absurdity and they should be mocked openly for it.

I think that the Model X is super ugly. The Model S is fine -- not a terribly attractive overall appearance, but nothing offensive, and the sleek details are nice. But the Model X looks like a Model S had a tumor. More traditional SUV styling would make it considerably more attractive (although I'm sure its drag profile would be considerably worse).

So then why make them at all? To prepare for when selling them is a necessity?

Yes. Tesla and others are the ones that are forcing them to act. If not for Tesla, they would just not change anything. It's easier.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com