Why do electric cars have to look like that?

[Nick1994]

Aside from the high end electric cars like Tesla, Audi etc.

The big ones are the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt. Yuck, can they get any uglier? Others are the Chevy Spark EV, Fiat 500e, VW Golf, and Kia Soul. But I don't wanna drive small crackerbox cars. I'm not the size of a child.

I just wish they had a reasonably sized car like a Camry or an Altima offered as a standard EV, don't need the top of the line bells and whistles, it would make a great commuter car. If the Altima had the Leaf powertrain, I'd be sold!

 

[JustN89]

You're exactly right. The affordable EVs look absolutely terrible. Even the Model 3 looks pretty ugly, IMO. To get an EV that looks halfway decent to me, I'd have to spend $60k+. No thanks.

 

[czbrian]

I thought the 2nd generation Volt looked good although its a PHEV. The Hyundia Ioniq looks ok too but maybe just a little weird.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

There was the electric Focus

I agree, they need to make EV versions of regular cars and/or make them look like regular cars

What do you think of the Honda Clarity?

 

[JeffKeryk]

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $38K and is a wonderful car. They are beautiful.
Remember, the cheapie EVs are generally ICE cars with electric drive trains. Tesla is the only pure play EV company.

 

[Astro14]

Well, when I was a kid, electric cars looked like this, and had a top speed of 40MPH. Things sure have gotten better!

 

[JustN89]

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $38K and is a wonderful car. They are beautiful.
Remember, the cheapie EVs are generally ICE cars with electric drive trains. Tesla is the only pure play EV company.
View attachment 28436

Well, that is a beautiful car. It's also not a Model 3.

The Model 3 has a weird, almost pug-like nose as if it used to extend further out but it ran into a wall and squished everything back.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Well, that is a beautiful car. It's also not a Model 3.

The Model 3 has a weird, almost pug-like nose as if it used to extend further out but it ran into a wall and squished everything back.View attachment 28439

I know, that's a Roadster 2. The front end is similar to the 3, sorta anyway.
We have a Model 3 and love it. Front pictures generally do not do the car justice.
Here is is sitting next to our GS. The pearl paint is fantastic.

 

[Nick1994]

What do you think of the Honda Clarity?

I like the front half of it. The back half? Yuck. I hate CUV's, they're mom cars.

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $38K and is a wonderful car. They are beautiful.
Remember, the cheapie EVs are generally ICE cars with electric drive trains. Tesla is the only pure play EV company.

Love the Model 3, but $38k is still quite a bit, and with Tesla it sounds like out of warranty repairs can get real expensive.

They also hold value really well, most electric cars are a great price to pickup used.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Love the Model 3, but $38k is still quite a bit, and with Tesla it sounds like out of warranty repairs can get real expensive.

No oil changes, no brake job, powered by my solar panels, commuter lane saves time (except for the cheats).
And with the over the air updates, the car keeps getting better.

Reliability is top notch. Consumer Reports had some problems, but that was for fit and finish.
Of course, the cars are still pretty new; sales got hot in 2018. More than 600K delivered, and growing.
Customer satisfaction is off the charts, according to Consumer Reports.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Well, when I was a kid, electric cars looked like this, and had a top speed of 40MPH. Things sure have gotten better!

View attachment 28437

Maybe that was Elon's inspiration for his Cybertruck?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Well, when I was a kid, electric cars looked like this, and had a top speed of 40MPH. Things sure have gotten better!

View attachment 28437

Haha I remember seeing those when I was a little kid,mid 1970s,and thought it was so cool!! Like a spaceship or something. It had SIX horsepower!

 

[4WD]

Haha I remember seeing those when I was a little kid,mid 1970s. It had SIX horsepower!

HaHa … my Rubicon winch has 6 HP …

 

[Andrew1972]

i agree they all are pretty ugly including Tesla. Sone will figure out the battery and the designers and normal car maker will come up with a pleasing vehicle. The local electric Porsche at dealer had dorky wheels on it like its 1980.

Tesla appeals but not my taste in looks whatsoever.

 

[4WD]

what’s the deal here … like a Prius looks as good as a Fusion Hybrid … to some the looks do not matter …
they want the drive line, efficiency, reliability, or something else …

 

[ripcord]

I always though Tesla was stealing, er, borrowing, style elements from Maserati.

 

[JGmazda]

Well, when I was a kid, electric cars looked like this, and had a top speed of 40MPH. Things sure have gotten better!

View attachment 28437

This made me LOL for a few mins!!! Thanks!

 

[supton]

With drastically reduced cooling needs I wonder if they can dispense with some design cues that we have long lived with. And lost ground to the battery pack in the process. Still. A PEV needs all the help it can get.

Also, back in the early 2000's it was found that people who were early adopters of hybrids were not interested in buying cars that looked like ordinary cars--they wanted to stand out. But not quite in an Insight way...

 

[Snagglefoot]

The Tesla Model 3 starts at $38K and is a wonderful car. They are beautiful.
Remember, the cheapie EVs are generally ICE cars with electric drive trains. Tesla is the only pure play EV company.
View attachment 28436

Fake news Jeff. You’re playing with our brains! The Tesla 3 looks like a Mazda 6. The Mazda 6 can be had for less than $20 K. However, that’s a nice looking car on display.

 

[JustinH]

Seen the new Audi CUV the Etron.
It looks great would love to have one.

I think the game for pure EV cars is range. Thats why they are so small and aero makes a lot of decisions on design.

I think a better value for most folks is a hybrid car not pure EV.