√Electric-car design needs to look less futuristic

Electric cars are increasingly being designed to look like something from science fiction, but one leading expert says it’s time to adopt more conventional styling.

German auto giant Volkswagen’s newly-appointed head of design, Andreas Mindt, says styling of electric vehicles needs to “just calm down”.

In an interview with US magazine Motor Trend, Mr Mindt said: “You don’t need to do artificial things, be over-keen. Just calm down. Just make it good, make it fit, and it will work.”

The former top Bentley designer says electric vehicles, including Volkswagen’s own ID.4 and ID.7, tend to be over-styled to appeal to buyers with a technology focus.

Broadly, electric car-makers have adopted similar-looking sleek designs with rounded noses.

Mr Mindt says electric vehicles no longer need to appear weirdly different.

The executive was promoted to head of Volkswagen Design earlier this year by Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume.

According to overseas reports, his appointment followed criticism of the brand’s ID.Life concept unveiled in 2021.

“[Electric vehicles] are now 15 per cent of the global market, and more than 50 per cent of the market in China,” Mr Mindt told Motor Trend. “This is not an ‘early-adopter’ business anymore.”

Mr Mindt now says Volkswagen electric vehicles are being designed for the same customers who are likely to trade-in a petrol or diesel car.

The manifestation of that idea is seen in Volkswagen’s ID.2all concept car – a Polo-sized small hatch which is due in 2025, according to overseas reports.

The styling theme on the ID.2all borrows from Volkswagen’s previous design cues, such as the Golf. It is also expected to form the basis of the design for the next-generation ID models.

Mr Mindt said cars of the future should look and feel more expensive than they are.

“This is the secret sauce,” Mr Mindt told Motor Trend. “The car is better than you expect, and you start to love it. Our aim is to be the love brand.”

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