It seems like almost every EV has to tell you its as EV with its design. Super “squinty” head lights and light bars across the front, strange black plastic bits around the vehicle. Ive always felt the design of EVs is doing too much. I understand that the grille will be different due to lack of ICE, but why not design them to look more like a normal car?
by russthegod
![Gloriously bright [Lotus Elise Series 2]](https://www.evshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/kfti1whrcudg1-770x515.jpeg "Gloriously bright [Lotus Elise Series 2]")
![[Fiat 600] located in the Bay Area, CA](https://www.evshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/x13hxb2gytdg1-770x515.jpg "[Fiat 600] located in the Bay Area, CA")
16 Comments
To separate themselves from their gas-powered counterparts and look “cool”.
To most people, an automotive purchase isn’t just about “this is what will get me from A-B” it’s also a “look at how cool I look because I own this car.”
It’s the same reason why iPhones and other consumer goods have a design aesthetic to them. They want to stand out, and their owners want them to stand out so that it’s seen as cool.
I like to think it’s because EVs are thought of as the future, and as such strive to make it look as futuristic as possible. Just my POV.
EVs don’t need big grilles like their ICE counterparts. Second it’s to keep up with Tesla who quite frankly set market expectations on what a modern EV should be.
It reminds me of cartoons where viewers won’t recognize a vehicle as using electric motors instead of gas engines if it doesn’t have a GAI and giant arcs of plasma bolting around the outside at all times(I’m looking at you The Simpsons.).
Because they’re status vehicles and that wouldn’t work if they looked like all the rest.
Of all EVs, I feel the Lightning is fairly muted and looks like a normal ICE F150 just with simpler grille, which was their intent afaik
Because often they are selling economy suspension and interior at luxury prices. They have to differentiate them to convince people they are buying something cool.
Because they’re tacky and I hate them.
Why not
Idk.
But I do know they’re all kinda fugly
No need for a traditional grill + focus on some kind of design that pairs well with battery efficiency + electric giving the opportunity for some new creative paradigm = current EV design
Same reasons politicians give 3-paragraph answers to yes-or-no questions. To let you know they are special.
well some of it is functional in that it doesn’t need a big radiator up front, and thus it can be made at lest somewhat more aerodynamic.
but i think most of it is that they’re just copying the trend set by rivian and tesla
Automakers think EV means Extra Vile. Cause all they are, are beyond ugly. Then they cry cause the market isn’t all there. Like yuh, you shot yourself in the foot selling an ugly ass car.
The new Lexus GX 550 is still a combustion engine and yet I feel it looks rather “futuristic or EV like”. Less so but also the most recent Nissan frontier body style. Could just be the direction vehicle styling is moving and EVs just accentuate it further.
Cuz the future, man.