Evolution, Not Revolution, Is Key to Future Electric Vehicles, Expert Says

The 2024 Genesis Electrified GV70 does something that most automakers haven’t been able to. It reaches achieves the special sauce that blends what it means to be an electric, luxury vehicle while still maintain the hallmark finishes and materials that help keep Genesis relevant as a contender against the better-known German brands.

It would be a home run for any automaker, but the fact that it’s so good for a brand that has only recently entered the marketplace gives a good idea of the success of today that are spurring the successes of tomorrow.

Take its styling; the Electrified GV70 is just that, an electric take on the GV70 sport utility vehicle (SUV). That means that it doesn’t have tailpipes, and its grille is closed up rather than open to allow for airflow.

“The important goal of design is to attract customers to a product through it aesthetics. There is no doubt that design sells – that’s why nowadays companies are placing much more emphasis on making strong visual statements with their vehicles,” Frank Stephenson, former designer for Ford, BMW, MINI, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and McLaren told Newsweek.

“Beauty has always been a thing – it’s just that trends evolve, tastes evolve and technology evolves. What was once considered beautiful or well proportioned years ago, may not have the same effect on a newer generation. Old fashioned, contemporary and futuristic have always and will forever exist in our vocabulary.”

It’s true that Electrified GV70 isn’t a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) like Hyundai has created in its Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Instead, it walks the line between gasoline-engined model and EV on the same platform that underpins the Ioniqs, benefitting from Hyundai Motor Group’s tremendous engineering lift.

As a gasoline-powered GV70, the car has a tremendous amount of upside for the average customer – zippy power, connected handling, and stylish and comfortable accommodations. The Electrified GV70 ups the ante delivering a quiet and smooth ride alongside the other positive attributes.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV fit the same bill. They deliver a drive and ride that are a rather seamless transition from gasoline-powered vehicle to electric vehicle. There’s no gimmicky design or childlike noises to draw you in. Instead, it has design, performance, technology and elegance that one typically associates with the brand, but in an electric vehicle.

Unlike the Electrified GV70, the EQE SUVs aren’t just electric versions of their similarly sized GLE counterparts. They are a whole different vehicle.

This dichotomy underscores the larger “where do we go from here” question regarding product lines and names as EVs become the mainstream.

Even with naming struggles, the EQE manages to stand on its own. Its electronics and appointments are familiar to the eyes and fingers. If you’ve driving a modern Mercedes, there’s little learning leap that comes with getting into the EQE. Switchgear, labeling, safety and driver assist technologies all work the same.

As much as infrastructure is a battle for consumers, so is product attractiveness. Quirkier models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 may be future classics, but the more mainstream the looks, the more likely a product is to be successful as a business case in the long run.

“To be stagnate in anything in an ever-evolving world, means effectively to be going backwards, while progressive and forward-thinking companies strive to be at the leading edge. Adapt or die is the old adage that we see in nature as well as in major companies,” Stephenson said.

“Evolution as opposed to revolution has always had a much more stable and successful impact towards the advancement of anything. Hence, the acceptance of EV technology within the consumer segment today is tending to be greater with vehicle designs that don’t stray wildly from the current ‘norms’ of design.

“But, it won’t be long before the smaller packaging size and less cooling requirements of electric motors will be capitalized on by the possibilities for larger interior space and more aerodynamic body shapes. Good automotive design is about increasing overall vehicle efficiency and it’s my strong belief that during the last part of this decade we will be seeing car designs that immediately evoke the visual differentiation between electric vehicles and internal combustion engine-powered vehicles!”