Edit: I asked AI the same question and it reminded me that BMW’s i4, Camry Hybrid, Porsche Taycan, Ferrari 296 GTB (hybrid), Corvette E-Ray, F150 Lightning, and Genesis Electrified G80 all look fairly similar to standard ICE vehicles.
The fact that even though an ICE engine is only 35% efficient, the energy density of fuel is still much higher than gas. Gasoline is 50x more energy-dense than an average EV lithium battery (taking a Tesla Model 3 as example). That's why you can fuel 9L of gasoline or charge and carry around ~500kg of batteries for the same range.
So in order to make the car efficient and travel 500km you have to bend the shape to be as aerodynamic as possible. That's where retractile/flush handles also come from, it wasn't just a gimmick or wow-factor on the Model S when it launched. It's still like that years later on all models because it still makes the car more efficient.
The research and push for higher densities is finally starting to pay off, so in time less efficient but more appealing/classic designs may start to emerge again, because you're less constrained by how much energy you can carry per same weight/volume.
Audi and BMW have been doing this for years at this point.
BMW i4 is a 4 series grand coupe (i.e., hatchback sedan in this case).
Audi ev suvs are super close to the gas versions. Both are shifting overlapped designs around though, perhaps specializing.
https://www.mercedes-benz.de/passengercars/models/electric.h...
For the longest time ICE car makers build cars that screamed "electric". They mostly where behind expectations. At that time the by far most successful EV brand was Tesla with the USP that their cars looked like cars, while the EV from the competition looked like video game asserts; the BMW EVs from that time where among the most ugly cars i have ever seen.
Now this has reversed. The current EVs from VW, Mercedes and BMW, Renault, Dacia, Fiat all look normal. The ordinary-looking BMW iX3 has a long waiting list since launch, VWs boring ID-cars are doing better than ever. Tesla has released the cybertruck that screams "electric" and is a sales disaster.
My personal conspiracy theory is that the ICE divisions wanted to prevent EVs cannibalizing their market and they pushed for ugliness or "differentiation".
People want cars to look like cars. This is tautologically true, but manufactures needed quite some time to figure that out.
I agree that the cybertruck screams, but not that it has generic EV stylings.
Nothing. That's exactly what early car makers did — they took a carriage and removed the horse. Electric cars with big hoods and radiator grills is the same thing.
That has been done. But it's never optimal, as it's not just a case of "pull out the ice engine, put in the electric motor". Different constraints leads to a different design.
e.g. The electric motors are better mounted near the drive wheels, no "transmission tunnel". The heavy batteries are ideally mounted across the bottom of the vehicle like a skateboard, they do not replace a gas tank.
It’s literally the MK7 Golf R, but with AWD removed and a battery instead of an engine. Physical interior throughout with CarPlay/AA, all aftermarket parts for the MK7 work with it. Drives like a go-kart on the streets.
Super fun as a second or third grocery getter if you can find one in good condition and with the right option sets.
Nobody needs more than 134hp on the street with instant torque, and nobody needs more than 125 miles of range around town. The driving dynamic of the car is better than any modern EV. That's the entire point.
Isn't that literally what the first Tesla was? An existing Lotus chassis with electric guts?
I do think it's kinda weird that Ferrari didn't do something similar, or at least closer to that, compared to... this thing.
I definitely don't mind the new i3 (or even the old one), which are pure electric designs.
And plenty of people drive motorcycles and old cars every day without incident. Just from a percentage basis it’s not as safe.
The plenty of people comment also reminds me of the sayings about airliners. It's not that there's a lot of accidents, but when they do happen, there tends to be higher percentage of fatalities.