Electric cars - why you so ugly?
Discussion
Just seen an advert pop up on youtube for the Nissan Leaf. Aside from the fact that one has to question where the electricity comes from, and how "green" its generation is, why do family sized electric cars all look s
t? The Leaf looks like someone forcibly mated a Micra and a Note, and, being of the same family, ended up with a 1 eyed inbred mentally retarded monster. The Vauxhall Ampera is another example.
How hard is it to design a nice looking electric (if you really must) saloon? Surely they will have more appeal. I'd probably use an electric vehicle for the everyday run if it looked half decent. Surely for the same man hours, thus the same amount of money, a stylist could design something that looks good, and appealing?
This is mostly about the look of electric cars in this country, the hideous green credentials of the source of electricity and the batteries are yet another issue.
N.B. one thing that annoyed me about this Leaf advert is the touting of using your iPhone to adjust the climate control. 1) How distracting is that? 2) Where would that stand within the law?
Another N.B. I'm not a greenie, I still prefer internal combustion
t? The Leaf looks like someone forcibly mated a Micra and a Note, and, being of the same family, ended up with a 1 eyed inbred mentally retarded monster. The Vauxhall Ampera is another example. How hard is it to design a nice looking electric (if you really must) saloon? Surely they will have more appeal. I'd probably use an electric vehicle for the everyday run if it looked half decent. Surely for the same man hours, thus the same amount of money, a stylist could design something that looks good, and appealing?
This is mostly about the look of electric cars in this country, the hideous green credentials of the source of electricity and the batteries are yet another issue.
N.B. one thing that annoyed me about this Leaf advert is the touting of using your iPhone to adjust the climate control. 1) How distracting is that? 2) Where would that stand within the law?
Another N.B. I'm not a greenie, I still prefer internal combustion
Bonefish Blues said:
I'm testing an Ampera next week and I think it looks rather good, tbh. Agree re the Leaf though, that seems willfully different in the usual Nissan stylee, and to no good effect.
I hope you enjoy it, each to their own and all that! On my way to the shop at lunchtime I walk through a car park, and there is always an Ampera parked there. In the flesh, in my opinion, they just look a bit fussy.Granted, many I/C cars suffer from "overstyling" at the moment, even the Swedes are in on the act!
In defence of the Ampera, it is certainly not the worst looking electric car.
It's a bit like noticing ugly people when you are out, they stand out more then pretty people. Because electric cars are veeeeeeeeeery quiet, the HSE have issued a mandate to make them ugly so people notice their presence and therefore don't step out onto the road in front of them and get knocked down.
Triumph Man said:
N.B. one thing that annoyed me about this Leaf advert is the touting of using your iPhone to adjust the climate control. 1) How distracting is that? 2) Where would that stand within the law?
:
That part of the advert only makes sense in hot countries (repeated ad nauseam in abu Dhabi for example), you can cool the car down a few minutes before you go outside.:
There is no question about the green credentials or efficiency or cost of electricity produced in modern power stations and transferred into vehicle batteries when compared to burning fossil fuels in the car and throwing two thirds of the energy away.
If you don't like electric cars that's fine, but focus your complaints elsewhere because that particular argument is a nailed-on loser.
If you don't like electric cars that's fine, but focus your complaints elsewhere because that particular argument is a nailed-on loser.
SpeckledJim said:
There is no question about the green credentials or efficiency or cost of electricity produced in modern power stations and transferred into vehicle batteries when compared to burning fossil fuels in the car and throwing two thirds of the energy away.
If you don't like electric cars that's fine, but focus your complaints elsewhere because that particular argument is a nailed-on loser.
Yeah, because power stations and electricity distribution are super efficient aren't they?If you don't like electric cars that's fine, but focus your complaints elsewhere because that particular argument is a nailed-on loser.
You might want to remove that nail. Power stations operate at around 40% average efficiency, and distributing electricity over the national grid loses around 8-10%. So there's not a lot of difference between electric and conventional cars in that respect.
I don't think the Leaf is ugly
But more crucially it isn't dull
But more crucially it isn't dull
calibrax said:
Yeah, because power stations and electricity distribution are super efficient aren't they?
You might want to remove that nail. Power stations operate at around 40% average efficiency, and distributing electricity over the national grid loses around 8-10%. So there's not a lot of difference between electric and conventional cars in that respect.
Of course you will of course not be doing the normal mistake of assuming a fossil fuelled car has the magic self refilling fuel tank when comparing efficiency to a power station and electric car combo You might want to remove that nail. Power stations operate at around 40% average efficiency, and distributing electricity over the national grid loses around 8-10%. So there's not a lot of difference between electric and conventional cars in that respect.
DonkeyApple said:
Or maybe cold countries as well? 
Or certain seasons in temperate countries.
Yes that was a little short sighted, wasn't it? I've only just come back from holiday where the only purpose for climate control was to lower the temp, so I blame that.Or certain seasons in temperate countries.
My point was, the Iphone app is to set the car's temp before you leave the house, not while you drive...
Triumph Man said:
Just seen an advert pop up on youtube for the Nissan Leaf. Aside from the fact that one has to question where the electricity comes from, and how "green" its generation is, why do family sized electric cars all look st? The Leaf looks like someone forcibly mated a Micra and a Note, and, being of the same family, ended up with a 1 eyed inbred mentally retarded monster. The Vauxhall Ampera is another example.
How hard is it to design a nice looking electric (if you really must) saloon? Surely they will have more appeal. I'd probably use an electric vehicle for the everyday run if it looked half decent. Surely for the same man hours, thus the same amount of money, a stylist could design something that looks good, and appealing?
This is mostly about the look of electric cars in this country, the hideous green credentials of the source of electricity and the batteries are yet another issue.
N.B. one thing that annoyed me about this Leaf advert is the touting of using your iPhone to adjust the climate control. 1) How distracting is that? 2) Where would that stand within the law?
Another N.B. I'm not a greenie, I still prefer internal combustion
The styling of the Leaf is ugly because it's Japanese and styled for their domestic market, nothing to do with the fact it's electric (look at all the other ugly Japanese cars currently available as you quite rightly pointed out).t? The Leaf looks like someone forcibly mated a Micra and a Note, and, being of the same family, ended up with a 1 eyed inbred mentally retarded monster. The Vauxhall Ampera is another example. How hard is it to design a nice looking electric (if you really must) saloon? Surely they will have more appeal. I'd probably use an electric vehicle for the everyday run if it looked half decent. Surely for the same man hours, thus the same amount of money, a stylist could design something that looks good, and appealing?
This is mostly about the look of electric cars in this country, the hideous green credentials of the source of electricity and the batteries are yet another issue.
N.B. one thing that annoyed me about this Leaf advert is the touting of using your iPhone to adjust the climate control. 1) How distracting is that? 2) Where would that stand within the law?
Another N.B. I'm not a greenie, I still prefer internal combustion
Switch countries for electric cars and the styling is more to European tastes, the Tesla Model S looks superb (just launched in the US, over here soon) and the Model X slightly less so. I could see the Model S selling loads over here if it wasn't for the price.
Jay Leno's review of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoFVO31CbE0
The iphone app is distracting? Unfortunately the advert is not that clear, as others have said you don't control the climate control via the iphone while in the car (why would you when you have the buttons in front of you on the dash). It's for pre-cooling the car before getting in. More useful part of the app in this country is the charging info, it lets you know the state of charge remotely etc. (app also on Android and Blackberry).
The only reason I know because a friend has a Leaf.
Edited by Mroad on Saturday 10th November 11:53
Puddenchucker said:
I wouldn't call the Fisker karma ugly.
Although it is a hybrid rather than a full EV.
I would agree with you, it looks superb Although it is a hybrid rather than a full EV.
But as you pointed out, I didn't include it in the argument due to the fact it's not a true electric car.
Do you guys think, however, that electric vehicles might be more widespread now if they didn't historically look awful? The Ford Th!nk for one springs to mind, as well as some awful stuff from the 20th century.
I think the problem with electric cars is that manufactureres still think the consumer wants to buy a silly futuristic looking car. Something out of the norm. Fact is, they all look stupid and ugly.
Remember when the MPV first came about? Manufactureres decided they needed to look quirky and different from the norm. Now they just look like taller/longer versions of the car they are based on.
Give it some time and no doubt we will have electic versions of normal cars being some along side the diesel/petrol versions. God knows why manufacturers think they need to have a completely different model/look because its electic.
I bet an electic UP! or C1/Aygo would sell bucket loads. How about an electric golf?
Remember when the MPV first came about? Manufactureres decided they needed to look quirky and different from the norm. Now they just look like taller/longer versions of the car they are based on.
Give it some time and no doubt we will have electic versions of normal cars being some along side the diesel/petrol versions. God knows why manufacturers think they need to have a completely different model/look because its electic.
I bet an electic UP! or C1/Aygo would sell bucket loads. How about an electric golf?
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