EV centre consoles
Discussion
Can someone please explain to me wtf’s going on with the centre consoles in virtually every EV I look at?
I realise that there’s no longer a transmission tunnel needed but why do so many of these cars have a huge chasm where the centre console should be? Apart from the complete waste of an extremely useful area for storage for stuff, it’s also an ideal place for actual vehicle controls. Why did manufacturers decide to just do way with it? I find it utterly baffling.
Then there is also the issue that, because there’s no centre console, there is the potential problem of the passenger’s "stuff" rolling across under the brake pedal and causing a life-threatening accident. There are other issues I have with some designs but how did this particular aspect of car design become a thing?
I realise that there’s no longer a transmission tunnel needed but why do so many of these cars have a huge chasm where the centre console should be? Apart from the complete waste of an extremely useful area for storage for stuff, it’s also an ideal place for actual vehicle controls. Why did manufacturers decide to just do way with it? I find it utterly baffling.
Then there is also the issue that, because there’s no centre console, there is the potential problem of the passenger’s "stuff" rolling across under the brake pedal and causing a life-threatening accident. There are other issues I have with some designs but how did this particular aspect of car design become a thing?
Other than the BMW i3 (to a degree) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 I'm struggling to think of any that don't have a centre console TBH? Do you have other examples as struggling to find any?
FYI we ran an i3 for 12 months and 15k miles and it was never an issue for us anyway as don't leave things lying around in footwells. Came in handy once or twice when people parked too close though as you can get in the passenger door and slide across into the drivers seat with ease.
FYI we ran an i3 for 12 months and 15k miles and it was never an issue for us anyway as don't leave things lying around in footwells. Came in handy once or twice when people parked too close though as you can get in the passenger door and slide across into the drivers seat with ease.
Edited by SWoll on Thursday 20th October 12:06
SWoll said:
Other than the BMW i3 (to a degree) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 I'm struggling to think of any that don't have a centre console TBH? Do you have other examples as struggling to find any?
FYI we ran an i3 for 12 months and 15k miles and it was never an issue for us anyway as don't leave things lying around in footwells. Came in handy once or twice when people parked too close though as you can get in the passenger door and slide across into the drivers seat with ease.
Toyota Ariya and BYD Seal which are the 2 I looked at yesterday. Kia EV6 and many others. Maybe I should’ve said "floating" centre console. Most I’ve looked at have that. I just don’t get what the purpose of the gapping is when that space could be used. I’m sure the manufacturers aren’t interested in my thoughts but I find it bizarreFYI we ran an i3 for 12 months and 15k miles and it was never an issue for us anyway as don't leave things lying around in footwells. Came in handy once or twice when people parked too close though as you can get in the passenger door and slide across into the drivers seat with ease.
Edited by SWoll on Thursday 20th October 12:06
Kia EV6:
BYD Seal:
Nissan Ariya:
I think you might need to give us a photo of what you are looking for, because all those seem to have centre consoles.
The most minimal one I can think of is the Honda e:
The nice thing about that is that it's easy to slide from the passenger to the driver's seat, very handy some some pillock parks too close to you on one side.
BYD Seal:
Nissan Ariya:
I think you might need to give us a photo of what you are looking for, because all those seem to have centre consoles.
The most minimal one I can think of is the Honda e:
The nice thing about that is that it's easy to slide from the passenger to the driver's seat, very handy some some pillock parks too close to you on one side.
I cannot speak for the other cars, but the Kia EV6 has a console that ends just after the two USB ports that you can make out illuminated in the photo above. THe picture is misleading, asn this is actually quite a large void area. I can personally vouch for the fact that detritus in the passenger footwell can, and does, roll across to the drivers footwell.
DaveGrohl said:
Toyota Ariya and BYD Seal which are the 2 I looked at yesterday. Kia EV6 and many others. Maybe I should’ve said "floating" centre console. Most I’ve looked at have that. I just don’t get what the purpose of the gapping is when that space could be used. I’m sure the manufacturers aren’t interested in my thoughts but I find it bizarre
Where did you see a BYD seal?phil4 said:
Have a Honda E, and can report no problems at all with the minimal centre console.
Am jealous, please tell me it is luminous yellow, too?I can see the concern with that Nissan above; there's just a tiny hump in the floor which isn't going to stop something like a drinks bottle rolling between passenger and driver footspaces. Especially being the most 'family' car, essentially a bigger, posher Qashqai, it'll be constantly filled with sh*te if it's anything like our family car!
DaveGrohl said:
Can someone please explain to me wtf’s going on with the centre consoles in virtually every EV I look at?
I realise that there’s no longer a transmission tunnel needed but why do so many of these cars have a huge chasm where the centre console should be? Apart from the complete waste of an extremely useful area for storage for stuff, it’s also an ideal place for actual vehicle controls. Why did manufacturers decide to just do way with it? I find it utterly baffling.
Then there is also the issue that, because there’s no centre console, there is the potential problem of the passenger’s "stuff" rolling across under the brake pedal and causing a life-threatening accident. There are other issues I have with some designs but how did this particular aspect of car design become a thing?
It's the other way aroundI realise that there’s no longer a transmission tunnel needed but why do so many of these cars have a huge chasm where the centre console should be? Apart from the complete waste of an extremely useful area for storage for stuff, it’s also an ideal place for actual vehicle controls. Why did manufacturers decide to just do way with it? I find it utterly baffling.
Then there is also the issue that, because there’s no centre console, there is the potential problem of the passenger’s "stuff" rolling across under the brake pedal and causing a life-threatening accident. There are other issues I have with some designs but how did this particular aspect of car design become a thing?
Why do so many cars these days erect a huge wall between driver and passenger?
Let's hope this is a move to step through so you can easily get out the other side or even swap driver and passenger without both having to get out.
All the knobs and things should be up at eye level anyway - and ditch anything with a touch screen
distinctivedesign said:
I cannot speak for the other cars, but the Kia EV6 has a console that ends just after the two USB ports that you can make out illuminated in the photo above. THe picture is misleading, asn this is actually quite a large void area. I can personally vouch for the fact that detritus in the passenger footwell can, and does, roll across to the drivers footwell.
Probably best not to leave detritous in the passenger footwell then? Personally can't bear to have stuff rattling and rolling around in footwells whilst I drive whether it can migrate or not. That's what door bins, the glove box and the boot are for.shirt said:
with the enhanced interior space an EV brings, i'd actually welcome comfy front bench seats and no centre console, far better for road trips with the OH
agree - potential to actually reduce the width of the EV. Wider cars in the hands of brain dead drivers seem to be the bane of my life where I live. Greenmantle said:
shirt said:
with the enhanced interior space an EV brings, i'd actually welcome comfy front bench seats and no centre console, far better for road trips with the OH
agree - potential to actually reduce the width of the EV. Wider cars in the hands of brain dead drivers seem to be the bane of my life where I live. SWoll said:
Greenmantle said:
shirt said:
with the enhanced interior space an EV brings, i'd actually welcome comfy front bench seats and no centre console, far better for road trips with the OH
agree - potential to actually reduce the width of the EV. Wider cars in the hands of brain dead drivers seem to be the bane of my life where I live. agree about width too
thicker doors and remove the 9" wall between occupants
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