[Paul]

OK, I've often thought this but I find "weird" cars quite appealing, if not pretty.

However recently I've had a few conversations, one just two days ago, when multiple people have said they wished EVs and hybrids just looked "normal". For what it's worth, I totally agree. I don't really like the look of the LEAF, and many others just look "odd", especially from smaller companies.
Why do companies insist on making EVs stand out and look "futuristic" or whatever it is they're trying to do, it just further marginalises them.

Doesn't so much apply to the Ampera and Volt (and Teslas perhaps), but generally... what gives?!

Am I alone here on this?!

 

[Paul]

I don't know, the "blue accents" and strange lines make it quite different from most others out there at the moment. The i3 even seems quite divisive, I like it but again I've heard a few stay they think it looks weird.

 

[Paul]

Trouble is with BMW and the like, it seems others follow their lead even if they make ugly cars, fashion and trends in automotive design are as predictable as they are plain weird. Wish we had more variety on the streets myself, rather than familiar patterns which start with company x and get adopted by company a,b and c the following model years... same in digital and web design (my field) really though, but I'd want my car to last longer than a current web design.

 

[Paul]

Steering wheel makes most sense for cars I'm sure, and why challenge the status quo for design when you're already blowing people's minds when it comes to the technology. I think the more that EVs look and act like cars (albeit top of the line in terms of ICE) the quicker they will gain acceptance.

I think people still visualise EVs as things like the i-Miev and other quirky concepts, but I know that I think the LEAF isn't pretty and others have commented it's weird! The drag coefficients don't seem massively low either, so not sure about the "wind-tunnel lead" argument I've heard before either?

 

[Paul]

Fair enough Paul. I know my views on this are not in line with the majority

Mine neither, I wish car design in general would move on, I want the cars of my childhood's future, today!

 

[Paul]

It's not just EVs what about the Nissan Juke or, from a bit longer ago, the Fiat Multipla?

I sometimes think that when the creators of Thunderbirds dreamed up the crazy cars that we would be driving in the future they pretty much got it right.

The Multipla was kind of different, new, challenging. Then you get something the Fiat 500L, which has just been beaten to death with the ugly stick.