We’ve been seeing a torrential and exciting downpour of automotive designs at Yanko Design in July 2022. Each automotive was innovative, bringing to us something we had never seen nor experienced before. From killer speed to dashing good looks, to impenetrable safety standards, every automotive we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you as well. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of automotive designs that we feel were the best of the lot! From Volvo’s edgy electric coupe to a Cybertruck-inspired bossy café racer – each of these drool-worthy automobiles is mercilessly pushing the boundaries of the automotive industry! Automotive enthusiasts will be itching to get their hands on them, and take them for a spin on the streets!
1. The Muji Honda MS01 electric bike
Meet the Muji Honda MS01 electric bike inspired by the MUJI H-Type bicycle. The black and white theme on this one is a testament to the MUJI’s mellowed-down styling – in fact, the company’s artistic director Kenya Hara did most of the design bit of the bike himself. All the equipment and power of the MS01 come from the house of Honda. It is a very balanced collaboration, resulting in this minimalist two-wheeler ideal for city rides and beyond.
2. Citroën La 2 Deuche Concept
The legendary 1945 Citroën 2CV often referred to as the umbrella on wheels had a fixed profile convertible bodywork and roll-back sunroof. To revive the nostalgic memories of this economy family car, designer Jean Louis Bui has penned an electric concept in a modern avatar. 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.
3. The DIDI Bike
An electric scooter at heart, it is pedal-powered for the most part keeping the eco-conscious lot in mind. On flat terrain, the DIDI Bike is better off assisted with the power of legs – that ways fitness is also taken care of. For roads with a slight degree of elevation, the scooter’s electric motor kicks in to save you from all the hard work. A front carrier is a nod to the classic utility two-wheelers native to the Asian continent.
4. The Pendler Bike
45Nm electric motor on this e-bike is concealed well within the frame and the detachable timber accessories add a dimension of practical usefulness to the e-bike. Layer Design has been mindful enough to bring built-in solutions to problems cyclists come across. Things such as bike storage or communication with surrounding traffic. According to Benjamin Hubert the creation solves a number of predicaments of daily city commute while keeping the tech-driven positioning and aesthetics intact.
5. The Polestar Cladrus concept
Borrowing from the LightYear One EV’s framework, the Polestar Cladrus concept car comes with transparent solar panels built into its roof, which feeds energy to the car’s graphene-based battery and body panel. If that wasn’t cutting-edge enough, the car’s also been envisioned with level 5 autonomy, thanks to the presence of a Waymo-esque sensor hub on the front of the roof.
6. Hyundai Ioniq 6
This four-door electrified streamliner gives you the option to break the monotony of WFH regimes or boring office routines to elevate creativity levels. The electric car is a reliable commuter and a movable compact studio on wheels for work liberation. The 64 different color schemes for the interiors, and to match them are the six pre-loaded themes. These ambient lights can also be customized to go brighter as the car speeds up.
7. The AVA Concept
The Apple Car concepts we’ve come across have ranged from practical ones to completely crazy ones. This one lies in the former pool with its well-sough out design. The designer envisions the concept for the year 2026, so it’s not far off the rumored timeline. The AVA concept has the familiar contoured silhouette on the corners, and the streamlined flowing aesthetic associated with the Apple product line-up; especially the current iPhone 13 flagship. The balanced aerodynamic front and rear built of the four-seater sedan looks attractive, and highly practical to say the least.
8. Model M
Model M is designed keeping in mind the tight urban spaces, hence, the detachable handlebars make complete sense. The electronic kickstand makes the ride easy to park without any hassles. When it comes to adventure escapades, Tesla Model M has your needs covered. Right where the fuel tank of traditional bikes is, there is a detachable bag with its own battery that powers the lights and the multimedia system. The bag comes with its own start/stop system that acts as an anti-theft mechanism.
9. Volvo EV
Created as a weekend project by the designer, this sustainable vehicle design is surprisingly rooted in a telephone doodle inspiration. The typical electric car aesthetics are apparent in the form of a sharp, edgy design language. The hood of the car has a geometric pattern that gives it a sci-fi appeal and the rear has a typically squarish persona to it. Right from the headlights, side profile to the taillights and the roof carrier all have a definitive geometry to them. The designer has kept the widebody stance of this Volvo very upfront, suggesting its dominating road presence.
10. The Jetson ONE
Flying cars have been in works of science fiction for decades. The idea of flying freely in the skies, without having to share seats with dozens of strangers, has appealed to the imagination ever since man first dreamed of flying. In recent times, however, that dream has almost become a future necessity if the problem of traffic congestion and personal travel is to be ever solved. The Jetson ONE is one (no pun intended) of those solutions currently in active development, and it may have just taken one step closer to making that dream come true. Company co-founder and inventor Tomasz Patan took a working prototype for a spin and commuted from home to work as if flying on a racecar turned helicopter was the most normal thing in the world.