Why Do all Hybrids/EVs have such Weird Designs?

FWIW......to each his own......I have a Gen 4 Prius & happen to think it is a sharp looking car......the Gen 3 was OK & the Gen 2 was a little "Weird"......again, just IMHO......

 

I call it the "New Coke" approach to marketing. Toyotas have a reputation for being rather dull. So people who like dull cars have bought a lot of Toyotas. Toyota decided that they needed something more edgy to reach their competitors market. The problem with New Coke was that they offended their established customer set, and the Pepsi customers just laughed at New Coke.

The current Toyota edgy designs are going to really date them. I predict a return to more dull designs rather soon.

 

Trying for a younger demographic. The Cadillac of 12 years ago dilemma. All my customers are over 70 and I can see the end of their buying my conservative designs..

 

I love the design of the Gen 4 Prius and wouldn't have it any other way.

I love the interior too and I hope they don't dumb it down when the next generation is released and 'normalise' it in an effort to attract people who don't like being different. I bought mine just as they were changing the centre console from white to black and I ordered it stating that I wanted the white console as I don't like it in black and was very relieved when it arrived that it was white.

Good job we are all different

 

There's 2 parts to this. I would argue your entire premise is wrong, especially as written.

1) you only notice the hybrids/EVs that are different

There are tons of hybrids that you'd never know were any different than the regular model. Camry Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, Ford Escape hybrid, blah blah blah. There are TONS of models that look identical to the non-hybrid version of the same car. So, hence my argument that your premise is wrong as written.

Then there are plenty of standalone EV/hybrids that are normal looking. Leaf, Bolt/Volt, Ford C-max. Heck, even the Teslas look "normal" from the outside if you are comparing them to their price range of regular ICE vehicles


HOWEVER, for a subset of hybrid/EV vehicles that DO look weird, there's a bunch of factors:

1) to be efficient, they are designed to have lower drag than most cars, which makes them look different

2) the people more likely to buy a hybrid/EV only model might be looking to virtue signal, or be the type of person that is attracted to different/futuristic looks

3) a company might want to stand out and signal to consumers that they have a new car that has a different powertrain. Or, in some cases, perhaps they make the car for regulatory compliance reasons and aren't really interested in selling that many of them, so they make them ugly

 

the new kia/hundays are fairly common looking.

 

Plus 1. I was struck by the sharp design and displays fresh out of a starship! All my previous cars had been conventional, though I was always attracted to the Prius concept I never had the courage to take the plunge. After a >2 hour test drive,I was convinced. Yes, there are niggles with moronic switch ergonomics and sound systems etc, but I simply enjoy driving it more than I ever imagined. Fortunately it is on my rental scheme and to date there's nothing good enough to take its place in 18 months.

 

I recently posted a picture of a new Nissan (non-hybrid) that is trying to out-ugly Toyota. Is is not just Hybrids that are ugly. It is an epidemic car design phase right now.
The Prius body designs have gotten more aerodynamic with each generation. Here is an animation somewhere displaying this.

Prius Aerodynamic - YouTube

 

Home Market.

It's the best selling car in Japan, and half of all the 4 million sales have been in Japan.

Besides - it's not the only "odd looking" car around. There are heaps of SUVs and $WD Utes etc which are just plain ugly for no apparent reason (try SUBARU which hasn't made a good looking car yet). Or go for boring like AUDI which looks the same as the AUDI of 25 years ago. Or Mercedes - almost every model looks the same, just some shrunk in the wash.

 

I had a Gen 2 and I didn't think it was weird. Of course, my first car was a Saab 900S...

 

i thought gen 2 and 3 were kind of flying saucery, but 4 is off the charts.

 

You want weird:


Check the rest out:

17 Of The Most Bizarre Cars Ever Designed - Business Insider

 

weird? gorgeous! the original bat mobile

love the '42 boeuf electrique.

 

I'm getting used to weird, the new vanilla. Lol

 

Yes. Prius's looks are polarizing/weird and not sure why. Maybe just bad Japanese designers and they won't hire Italians? I've always contended it can't be more costly to design/build an attractive car than it is to design an unattractive one. I could be wrong.
Anyway, I'm the guy that would like GM to build new updated versions of '55-'57 Chevy shoeboxes. Yeah, I think they'd sell well.

 

I'm turning blue, holding my breath waiting.

 

Just saw this - about to be released by MITSUBISHI - they're trying to out-PRIUS PRIUS's rear window (though CIVIC have done much the same thing too).

They call it ECLIPSE CROSS - not sure why it's cross?? but ... .