In a world where sustainability is running on everyone’s mind, and the consumption of fossil fuels is quite literally looked down upon – Electric vehicles have been slowly and steadily taking over the world! Electric vehicles ditch the age-old fossil fuels and instead run on large traction battery packs which are in turn powered via charging equipment. They may not run on engines, but they still manage to be sleek, swift, and powerful. And, we’ve curated a collection of EV designs that we felt were the best of the lot! From a bold reimagined DeLorean EV to a minimalist electric dirt bike – these innovative and groundbreaking automotives promise to be the future of urban commute and automobiles!
1. Volvo EV Sedan
Volvo is on course to go all-electric by the end of 2030. In tune with this vision, a refreshing Volvo EV sedan beckons on the horizon for zero-emission travel. Created as a weekend project by the designer, this sustainable vehicle design is surprisingly rooted in a telephone doodle inspiration. Of course, the classic Volvo cars from the eighties are the inspirational force for the elongated design. The low ride height suggests its highway driving limits since it could not possibly be made for off-roading adventures.
2. DMC DeLorean EV
This iconic car is in fact all set to hit the limelight on August 18, 2022, at the prestigious Awards Ramp at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. From what we see in the teaser image, the EV is going to follow the norm with a modern silhouette and this concept gives our imagination wings. If we ignore the rear that looks more akin to the Bugatti Chiron, the EV could be pretty similar to what we see in these renders. A bold form factor with an intimidating front could be on the cards. The side profile has to be sharp and flowing with a supercar-like domineer but slightly bend towards the coupe persona too.
3. The DATbike
Created by Vietnam-based Carota Design, the DATbike is a conceptual dirt bike that explores a dynamic new aesthetic that challenges the status quo. It starts with an incredibly lean frame that’s bare-basics for the most part, barring the heavy battery at the base, and finally, adds a flourish with that beautiful hollow ‘fuel tank’ that makes for an INCREDIBLY interesting silhouette! An interesting visual experiment by the Ho Chi Minh-based designer, the DATbike looks lean while still sporting a rather base-heavy design. It comes with a simple yet edgy aesthetic, accentuated further by the use of matte and satin finishes, and the grey and orange colorway.
4. The Citroën La 2 Deuche Concept
Dubbed the Citroën La 2 Deuche Concept, this cheeky mini car has a sense of airiness to it. Retro DNA of the vehicle is visible in the section over the wheels, the headlights, and the accordion-like retracting rooftop which turns it into a convertible. According to Jean the styling is picked from the simple lines and silhouette of the inspiration – particularly the Charleston version. The rest of it has the more modern profiling – especially the side profile and rear. Those taillights and the wheels do give off the futuristic vibe, and as far as the exterior goes, it ends there.
5. 2022 Nissan Ariya EV
Nissan’s design brief for this car was ‘Timeless Japanese Futurism’ which allowed the design team to tap into key Japanese words to inspire their global design team to create the Ariya’s exterior, words like sleek, sharp, and seamless. The overall design is definitely futuristic, but the most appealing part of its exterior for me is the front grille, which looks like a traditional grille but packs some stand-out features. Nissan instead calls their grille a ‘shield,’ as it shields hi-tech cameras, radar, and sensors that assist with the car’s self-driving system and ACC.
6. The ZID electric scooter cruiser
The upright driving position gives off the peculiar kick-scooter personality of this e-scooter. There are a couple of carabiners hanging below the seating which will come in handy for carrying along groceries or small loads. The section below this also doubles as storage for keeping things and the rear platform above the wheel is another place to carry your haul of things like a skateboard, baseball bat, or things that would not fall off easily. The straight handlebar has a modernized display on the left side that shows the current battery levels, real-time speed, and the headlights on/off position.
7. Fiat 500E
Now the car you see here might look like the Fiat 500 that’s been around for a few years, but this one is no mere facelift. It’s an all-new car and it’s only available with an electric powertrain. The key differences in the design department are that the new EV version does not have a conventional grille, but a thick wide bumper with a larger ‘500’ logo and a small vent to cool the batteries. The headlight design has been split in two, with the main LED headlight looking like an eye on each side of the front bumper while the daytime running light, which has the effect of an ‘eyebrow’ situated above the eye, sits on the edge of the hood. A separate daytime running light located below the headlight, sort of looks like some blusher on its cheeks. Very chic.
8. The Popup Scooter
Christened the Popup Scooter, the two-wheeled electric bicycle transforms into a chick kick scooter and the other way around. This gives the rider (and his/her family and buddies) the option to choose the configuration depending on the particular needs. The smooth transformation happens courtesy of the hydraulic cylinder which in normal bicycles is used to adjust the ride height. This hydraulic mechanism is capable enough to lift an adult person, so, lifting and lowering the ride’s body shouldn’t be a problem at all. At the core level, the concept is not just another blueprint that looks good on paper but falls flat on its face when it comes to creating the actual prototype or even a production model.
9. The Zeva Zero
The Zeva Zero definitely looks more like a flying saucer than a flying car, even if the goals and some of the technologies are similar to other attempts at making personal transport vehicles that traverse the skies to avoid earth-bound traffic. For one, it utilizes vertical take-off and landing, a.k.a. VTOL, more similar to a helicopter than an airplane. On the one hand, this has the benefit of saving parking space, so to speak, because the flying saucer launches and lands in an upright position, contrary to what you’d expect from a flying disc. This even has the advantage of allowing the Zeva Zero to “dock” vertical against walls of buildings with a system that the startup calls the SkyDock.
10. DeLorean E
This concept rendering by transportation designer Onkar H takes a dig at what a DeLorean of the future will be like. Of course, it has to be electric to stand a chance of longevity in the closely contested automotive market that’s going through a metamorphosis for an electric vehicle-dominated near future. An electric DeLorean E powered by 4 high-performance motors and a mid-mounted battery pack is what the passionate fans will take with both hands. After all, it kills two birds with one stone – owning a classic piece of history that doesn’t sound alienated in the EV landscape.
