# Who is designing the newest crop of EVs??

_April 20, 2023 · By [Seb](https://internet---times.com/authors/sebastian-logue) · Filed under [Design](https://internet---times.com/design)_

No seriously, who are they? Cause they’re making some head-ass shit and I think I’m about it.

![Hyundai Ioniq 5](/images/articles/who-is-designing-the-newest-crop-of-evs/8b09d7ad-04df-415e-aee7-e5bde6abc3aa.jpg)

For over a decade (or post 9/11 if you like) cars, particularly those with publicity, clout etc... i.e. the fancy ones, increasingly adopted what I would dub a “militarized” aesthetic. “Murdered out” in all black, the *scintillating*combination of luxury meets prepper meets Bond villain produced designs that looked hostile, oppressive and mean. You could almost say, for instance, that this sentiment was tied up in a nice little bow with Mr. Musk’s ill-fated Cyber Truck (may it go the way of the Dodo, and also Twitter? yikes).

So, surveying the landscape of the newest crop of EVs I am pleasantly surprised. I would almost call it democratic design, but that requires setting aside the lower-upper-class price tags that come with many of today’s EVs, emblematic of decidedly undemocratic economic undercurrents.

However, this does mean that these cars are luxury and I think wield outsized influence on the future of car aesthetics. And what aesthetics they are…

![VW EV Lineup](/images/articles/who-is-designing-the-newest-crop-of-evs/4a063b86-6f21-4062-bf73-6fbb66c94682.jpg)

Obviously, there are some misses like the Lexus LM (wtf is that grill tho?!?), but that said, the aesthetics of a Rivian are refreshingly gentle (and colors!). VW’s EVs are pretty futuristic, heck, the vibes were so good they brought the fackin vanagon back-ish as an EV but you'll never be able to buy one, sad. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 is practically 8-bit platformer themed with its pixelated headlights. When was the last time you saw a car with that kind of personality?!

![Lexus LM Minivan](/images/articles/who-is-designing-the-newest-crop-of-evs/8a9a5cb6-9311-4e2d-ab8a-32be4826c4f3.jpg)

This is all to say that I like how the *dawn of the EV age* has given car designers license to shake things up a bit. Throw out the grill, toss the tailpipe and while you’re at it make the whole thing look like a 60’s concept sketch for flying cars. If it’s already completely different under the hood, why not make the *hood* different while you’re at it? Just don’t forget to leave your Soylent Green in the frunk or it’ll smell kinda… different?

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[Link to more information](https://hypebeast.com/2021/2/hyundai-ioniq-5-electric-cars-mid-sized-family-ev-vehicle-south-korean-retro-design-first-look)