With a range of 1000 kilometers, and an aesthetic that sort of looks like an Apple Magic Mouse with wheels and headlights, the Fresco XL comes from a Norwegian startup that claims its EV’s extra-large battery allows it to drive from Paris to Amsterdam… and back.
Exceeding even Lucid Air’s bonkers EV range of 837km, the Fresco XL boasts a 1000 kilometer (621 mile) driving range on a full battery. This, the Norwegian startup mentions, comes thanks to its unique aerodynamic design, and the massive battery pack located within the car’s platform.
The suffix XL in Fresco XL comes from the fact that even though the car looks like a compact minivan, it is, in fact, an 8-seater sedan, designed to perform as an all-weather, off-roader too. Is it trying to disrupt the sedan category the way the Tesla Cybertruck disrupted the pickup-truck category? Well, probably. The car looks more like an abstraction of a Daft Punk helmet than an automobile, and sports absolutely no branding on it aside from the minimal Fresco logo embossed on the front and back. In fact, the logo isn’t even visible until you see it against angled light. The purpose, one could assume, is to ensure the design of the car does the talking. Its minimalist aesthetic is, by all means, bold and expressive, and if you saw that car on the road today, there’s no way you wouldn’t give it a second glance.
The car uses a stacked battery system that connects directly to a dual-motor layout, with a motor on each axle. The dual-motor system gives the vehicle much more control on icy roads, a condition that seems more catered to the Norwegian startup’s home audience. Its massive design also allows you to fold down the rear seats and turn the inside into a mini camper – perfect for long road trips, something that the Fresco XL’s battery definitely permits. Speaking of its highly capable battery, Fresco Motors even mentions that you can hook the car up to your house and use your car battery as a backup power source for when the lights go out. Pretty neat, eh? The only thing I hate about the car is how terrible those images look. Hey Fresco, maybe next time also share some hi-resolution shots so we don’t have to screen-grab images from a 1080p YouTube video.
The designers of the EV are pretty adamant about calling the Fresco XL a ‘pod’ and not a car. It has a lot to do with the design, I assume. The EV pod’s design is an absolute deviation from any current automotive stylings. Its headlight and taillight are a steely emotionless light-strip, as are the car’s wheels which come with flat rims to make the vehicle look like even more of an enigma. Side mirrors? Nope. Door handles? How about no. Even the windows and front and rear windshields are tinted black, making the car (sorry, pod) look like an absolute mystery.
The Fresco XL is undoubtedly a great car on paper, but enthusiasts should take its design with a massive grain of salt. Just like the Cybertruck is going through major reiterations to make it production-ready and road-legal, the Fresco XL will probably see its fair set of design changes before the car actually hits the road. In fact, the Fresco Motors company profile on LinkedIn only shows 6 employees, which does raise a few concerns. However, if you’re incredibly enthusiastic, Fresco Motors IS accepting pre-orders on its website, with the car’s final price being a pretty hefty $114,330. If you happened to have that kind of money to throw away, you’re better off buying a Bored Ape instead.
Designer: Fresco Motors
