Why are electric cars (almost) all ugly?

[beagrizzly]

There are exceptions, but generally they all seem to be at best plain, at worst ugly. Mach E for example - no better looking than a bang average hatchback, but it's got a horse on it so must be a Mustang. Ford Explorer - box with a weird filled in front grille. All Teslas with the exception of the S (I think it's called) - weird shaped Noddy car fodder. etc etc

I can only assume that either:

A) There is some engineering limitation around fitting in the battery etc that means they can't really do any better.
B) They don't bother trying as people will go electric anyway to virtue signal or to save money (debatable)

.... or possibly both.

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder, all the above are stunning and I am a dinosaur.
Also also possible - confirmation bias as I don't really like electric cars anyway.

[paulrockliffe]

Worst thing is they've deliberately uglified ICE cars to help us accept the EV ugly stick - See the Ford Puma for details.

[Screechmr2]

I think you could include that they've deliberately made most ice cars ugly now as well

[ajap1979]

beagrizzly said:

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This. You really didn't need to say any more.

[Iamnotkloot]

Screechmr2 said:

I think you could include that they've deliberately made most ice cars ugly now as well

Yep, this. There's not many new, good looking cars full stop

However, this is electric and it's rather nice (if basically a cheat)
:

[beagrizzly]

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This. You really didn't need to say any more.

I think we've found an electric car owner.

[mat205125]

Dunno what you mean??

[ajap1979]

beagrizzly said:

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This. You really didn't need to say any more.

I think we've found an electric car owner.

amongst other things.

It's just getting really obvious when people are trolling, rather than initiating meaningful, interesting discussion.

[stumpage]

Only ones that look good are the Taycan and Etron GT.

Basically I want a Tesla drive train, Alfa Gulia looks and new E class interior.

[Challo]

beagrizzly said:

There are exceptions, but generally they all seem to be at best plain, at worst ugly. Mach E for example - no better looking than a bang average hatchback, but it's got a horse on it so must be a Mustang. Ford Explorer - box with a weird filled in front grille. All Teslas with the exception of the S (I think it's called) - weird shaped Noddy car fodder. etc etc

I can only assume that either:

A) There is some engineering limitation around fitting in the battery etc that means they can't really do any better.
B) They don't bother trying as people will go electric anyway to virtue signal or to save money (debatable)

.... or possibly both.

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder, all the above are stunning and I am a dinosaur.
Also also possible - confirmation bias as I don't really like electric cars anyway.

Im not an expert but I believe there will be some elements of the car designed in such a way to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag as much as possible to maximise the range available.

Most electric cars at the moment are based on SUV's so can you make them not ugly? Some of the newer electric cars from Audi and BMW look good.

What new ICE cars driven by the general public would you say are great looking? Is there no ugly ICE cars?

[beagrizzly]

Iamnotkloot said:

Yep, this. There's not many new, good looking cars full stop

However, this is electric and it's rather nice (if basically a cheat)
:

Not bad at all. Why a cheat?

[beagrizzly]

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This. You really didn't need to say any more.

I think we've found an electric car owner.

amongst other things.

It's just getting really obvious when people are trolling, rather than initiating meaningful, interesting discussion.

Well I'd say that whether or not my comment is meaningful and/or interesting is also subjective, so you should probably get off your high horse and wind your neck in a bit.

[TikTak]

It's a multitude of things.

Focusing on drag coefficient. No grill look will take some time to get used to/not sure anyones figured it out properly yet. That "futuristic" styling that hasn't died off.

[skilly1]

Tesla is all about minimal drag coefficient etc. Makes it look uninteresting but form follows function I guess.

[kambites]

To my eye they're almost all ugly because they're modern cars and modern cars are almost all ugly. I certainly don't see them as significantly worse (or better) than equivalent petrol cars on average.

[beagrizzly]

Challo said:

What new ICE cars driven by the general public would you say are great looking? Is there no ugly ICE cars?

There are of course many ugly ICE cars, I just thought it noteworthy that, to my eyes at least, the vast majority of electric cars are not nice to look at. I could be alone on this, but I don't usually have views on what is or isn't a nice looking car that varies much from the majority view.

[Iamnotkloot]

beagrizzly said:

Iamnotkloot said:

Yep, this. There's not many new, good looking cars full stop

However, this is electric and it's rather nice (if basically a cheat)
:

Not bad at all. Why a cheat?

Because it's just an electrified version of this - throw out the V6, put a battery in, job done Maserati style:

[beagrizzly]

TikTak said:

It's a multitude of things.

Focusing on drag coefficient. No grill look will take some time to get used to/not sure anyones figured it out properly yet. That "futuristic" styling that hasn't died off.

What lies behind the 'no grill' look. Is a flat, closed front better aerodynamically than a grille? There is of course no radiator to feed, but do e-cars have no cooling requirements? (I don't know the answer).

If I was designing it I'd probably make it look like a grille even if it wasn't one, but there's a good chance my tastes are old fashioned.

[Hants PHer]

Most examples that I've seen feature especially overstyled, fussy and pig ugly wheels. Even more so than modern ICE cars' wheels.

[ajap1979]

beagrizzly said:

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

ajap1979 said:

beagrizzly said:

Also possible - beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This. You really didn't need to say any more.

I think we've found an electric car owner.

amongst other things.

It's just getting really obvious when people are trolling, rather than initiating meaningful, interesting discussion.

Well I'd say that whether or not my comment is meaningful and/or interesting is also subjective, so you should probably get off your high horse and wind your neck in a bit.

Perhaps it would have been more palatable without the "virtue signalling" accusation, and the admission of not liking EVs anyway.