Why so frou-frou???

There’s something that’s bugged me ever since the original Prius debuted: Why do energy efficient vehicles often look so wimpy? They are often odd looking to an extreme. I wonder if this is because the manufacturers want to make sure their new product category is noticed or if it is because owners of these vehicles seem to have a need to proclaim to the world, “Look at me! I’m ecologically better than you!”I know that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but aren’t there some absolutes in visual appeal? Perhaps not. Perhaps concessions to aerodynamics dictate a perfect shape. The Tesla Model S is touted for having a very low coefficient of drag, even lower than the Toyota Prius. See? Efficient doesn’t necessarily mean ugly.

But aesthetics are definitely not universal. My friend Charles and I disagree on almost every single EV. I think the Cadillac ELR is beautiful and he thinks it’s ugly. He thinks the Nissan Leaf is attractive and its looks repulse me (sorry Nissan). Admittedly, the Leaf was the very first EV I ever drove and I was ready to write a check for the down payment, on the spot. I liked the performance and what an electric vehicle meant to me enough to overlook the Leaf’s ugliness. (For all you Leaf owners out there, this is just my opinion. Don’t be offended. Continue reading…)

I mean really?!?! Which of these two do you find more visually appealing?

Another friend, Kelly was recently looking to move into a plug-in vehicle. Like me, she found the aesthetics of the Leaf lacking (to put it mildly). Her choices came down to two decidedly different vehicles, the Chevrolet Volt and the BMW i3. She had driven my Volt previously and came to Classic Chevrolet to test drive the latest model. She also drove the i3 that was loaned to My Electric Vehicle Journey by BMW of Arlington‘s EV champion, Pedro Alicea. We had borrowed it for a video test drive and review (I swear it’s coming soon…). She liked both vehicles, but ended up opting for the i3 because Pedro was able to get her a lower lease payment (Don’t ask me how. I’m still in shock). On most EV’s, Kelly and I have similar tastes. How she could stand the looks of the i3 will be explained in the review…The Volt vs. the BMW i3… Really Kelly?!? 😉I know that for EV adoption to happen, the people who do not currently know about EVs have to become aware of them. EVs have to make an impression and be noticed. But the more, for lack of a better term, “funky” looking vehicles, can also turn people away from considering any EV. Many people, noticing only those odd-looking EVs, might assume EVs all look that way and never explore deeper to find ones that are more mainstream in appearance.

Before I got a Volt, I never really noticed them. To me, they looked like a Cruze and, in fact, were often disparaged by the conservative media as a $40K Cruze. We all know that’s not the case (if you don’t know, go test drive both). I often confuse the Nissan Versa and Leaf. Quite often, even as much as I’ve been around EVs, the Ford Fusion, when seen at a distance,looks like a Tesla Model S to me.Separated at birth? Please Model S owners, do not regale me with protestations! I did say from a distance, but…So I understand the marketing motivation of funky and I concede that some people, like my buddy Charles, may actually prefer funky. But the very definition of funky is outside the mainstream and probably unappealing to the masses needed for EVs to succeed.

My message to the EV manufacturers is, there are other ways to stand out than fugliness! One is badging and decals. The rear end of every Leaf has an emblem stating “Zero emission.” Imagine a driver, stuck in rush hour traffic, seeing that…The only thing on my Volt, that lets anyone know it uses electricity, is the lightning bolt in the logo. In fact, GM offers a wrap package for the Volt to show off that it’s electric…sort of. The problem is, it costs extra to advertise for GM! Really??? Why don’t you include the graphic and have an optional charge to remove it? Why not offer it at no charge or even discount the Volt fifty bucks if someone adds the wrap?

As an EV owner will tell you, we all get approached by people with questions about our EVs, once they realize our vehicle is electric. That takes someone that is aware of EVs to some extent already. If you want to reach more potential customers, make the fact that they’re electric more prominent.

One other thing GM: Don’t allow the most widely seen commercial, featuring the Volt, be a Met Life commercial! ADVERTISE!!!!Now some EVs are inspirers of lust The ones that immediately come to mind are:

BMW i8

Tesla RoadsterCan’t anyone make an EV or plug-in hybrid that has the looks of these beauties at a price affordable for those currently buying other EVs? We don’t need the futuristic doors. We just want to look sporty at a decent price.

Here’s a tip: The first company that does this, gets rich beyond the dreams of avarice.