This stylish e-bike cruiser is a collaboration between Howler Brothers and Super73. Called the S2, it’s a super customized ride with all sorts of details that make it rare, cool, and covetable.
From the sandy tan aesthetic to the custom Almond surfboard to the chunky tires and oversized headlamp, the S2 looks like a great ride to take to the beach in style.
The first run of this collaboration is already sold out, at $3800.
“The Lightning Powered Surf Machine is a completely custom Super73-S2 inspired by desert and surf landscapes featuring Howler Brothers’ original, hand-painted artwork and hand-picked accessories.
Not only does this high performance electric motorbike look badass, its aircraft-grade aluminum alloy frame and a fully adjustable air spring suspension fork provide a rugged stability for all of your adventures.”
Road trips and off-roading may take on a new meaning if concepts like this XPENG AEROHT ever come to life.
Combining a 6-wheeled, rugged EV with a personal flying machine that rises from the back, the AEROHT would allow for adventures that whisk you up into the sky, not just off the beaten path.
Also referred to as the Land Aircraft Carrier, the sleek combo was unveiled at CES this year, and expands the vision for both E-VTOLs and EV mobility. Similar to how rechargeable devices work, the Air Module docks into the Ground Module, seamlessly charging it for future flights.
The highly capable EV comfortably sits 4-5 passengers, while leaving ample space for the flying module in the back.
Check out a video below of the concept, showing both driving and flight.
“XPENG AEROHT is categorizing the separate air module as a “flying car,” but it’s more accurate to call it a small electric aircraft or oversized drone you can pilot. Capable of vertical takeoff and low-altitude flight, the ornithopter-like aircraft uses a distributed electric propulsion system supporting both manual and automatic flying modes, providing an accessible flying experience.”
Although fanciful, the concept combo might not be as far-fetched as you might think. XPENG has established itself as Asia’s top flying-car company, with thousands of proven test flights.
We imagine it will only be a matter of time before this land and air duo make it to production.
Chrysler, the smallest of Detroit’s ‘big 3’ automakers, is down to just a single vehicle in its lineup. With just the Pacifica minivan to its name, the once innovative automaker seems to be on the ropes.
But perhaps it does have some more life in it, and the brand’s newly announced Halcyon concept wants you to believe.
The 100 year old automaker has flirted with EVs before, but failed to bring its Portal concept to market, despite many promises. The Halcyon is a low-slung 4-door coupe, a car full of tricks and sleek design flourishes that feel appropriate to its conceptual nature. Level-4 autonomy seems optimistic, as does the full augmented reality cockpit.
Chrysler touts the ability of the Halcyon to charge wirelessly while driving on properly equipped electric roadways.
We appreciate the unique door openings, large glass canopy, and overall dimensions, which eschew big SUV form, and give a proper sleek sedan form its due.
With any luck, Chrysler will follow-through on its promise, and create a production-ready version of the Halcyon. Check out their website for more details.
“Chrysler is also using a lot of recycled materials for the interior, including the automaker’s wing logos constructed from crushed and recycled music CDs. Overall, the company says 95 percent of the interior is made from “sustainable” materials.”
There’s been a trend of former star car designers starting their own car companies.
Recently, Henrik Fisker remade the Fisker brand into an all-electric brand, with his own designs as the star products.
Former Jaguar designer Ian Callum is looking to do the same, with Callum, a brand that also will be dedicated to unique, all-electric vehicles.
The first of these is the Skye, a radical-looking all-terrain vehicle that resembles a dune buggy meant for the red sands of Mars.
Futuristic in its profile and design language, the Skye is a two-door with enormous wheels, and an attitude that makes it feel ready to jump off-road onto the trails.
With a 2+2 configuration, the Skye looks like an adventurous new option for all-electric off roading, as well as on roading.
The Callum Skye is still in concept mode, but we can expect it on (and off) the roads in the next 2-3 years.
“CALLUM SKYE, a high-performance multi-terrain electric vehicle, created for discerning owners seeking extraordinary on- and off-road adventures.
CALLUM SKYE’s occupants are fully enclosed in a comfortable, refined cabin environment with a purposeful 2+2 layout. Its sophisticated design results in a commanding yet elegant sculpted form, focused on its rugged practical capabilities and off-road prowess.
Designed and engineered to be exhilarating and rewarding on-road, the all-electric, all-wheel-drive CALLUM SKYE is exceedingly capable off-road, underpinned by a durable technical specification at its core.”
“THE EXTERIOR FEATURES A STRIKING ACCENT LOOP, INTERSECTED BY A STRONG HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE, FLANKED BY ORGANIC FORMS FRONT AND REAR. IT IS PARED DOWN TO A LEVEL OF NECESSITY AND UNDERSTATEMENT.
AT THE HEART OF ITS STORY IS ITS PERFORMANCE, STYLE AND CAPABILITY, AND A DESIGN INTEGRAL TO THE ENGINEERING ELEMENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE LOWER SECTION OF THE DOORS HAVE BEAUTIFULLY INTEGRATED GLASS, OFFERING OUTSTANDING VISIBILITY IN ALL CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THE CALLUM SKYE IS UNIQUE IN CONCEPT AND PRESENCE IN THE MARKET.”
One of the original modern EVs, the Nissan Leaf helped to popularize plug-in electric cars in the early 2010s.
To celebrate 20 years at their London design studio, Nissan unveils their 20-23 electric coupe, a super-sporty EV concept. The goal of the design team? Just design a badass car that they themselves would love to drive.
Featuring huge fender flares, large expressive taillight and headlight designs, and a squat, athletic stance, the coupe looks like it would be a total blast to toss around on a track.
It remains to be seen if this design will make it to production, but we’re impressed by the fun, super-sporty look, and welcome more small, agile EVs that make driving fun.
Below is a video showcasing the making of the concept vehicle, which is always fun to see.
“The young team here at NDE was given a simple brief: design a fun electric city car that you’d like to drive every day in London. The 20-23 Concept that they designed is a compact hatchback which is strongly influenced by the online racing world. I love the story it tells about how the worlds of modern city living, online gaming and zero emissions mobility intersect.”
The iconic Catbus from the film “My Neighbor Totoro” is coming to life in the form of an actual, drivable EV bus.
As part of Studio Ghibli Park’s2024 expansion, guests will be able to take rides on the low-speed EV, faithfully recreated with details that feel straight out of the movie. Built on a Toyota APM electric trolley chassis, the Catbus features plush seats, and the iconic huge grin from the film.
The park’s expansion should be ready for guests in early 2024.
“This real-life Catbus fits just six people (including the driver) and travels at a maximum speed of 19km per hour. To give visitors the most authentic experience, the Catbus will feature immaculate details including having furry plush seats, similar to what you see in the movie.”
The reincarnation of Honda’s 1980s Motocompo, the new Motocompacto is a diminutive scooter, this time all-electric, that folks down to an astonishingly small size.
With fold-out wheels, seat, and handlebars, the cute little white scooter is meant for short city cruises, going about 12 miles on a charge, at a top speed of 15mph.
With a nerdy, yet cute and fun aesthetic, the Motocompacto is hugely appealing for those needing urban mobility in a small package. That package weighs a full 40 pounds, but can be used as its own carrying case.
At $995, the scooter will be available for sale this winter at participating Honda and Acura car dealers.
Described as looking like a “real life Hot Wheels car”, the Polestar Synergy is the result of a contest that garnered hundreds of entries, and indeed, will be made into a miniature play car, as well as a real, drivable prototype.
In collaboration with Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand, the contest asked for entries that embodied ultimate performance and sustainability, in a sleek and future-forward design.
The single-seat design has a number of fascinating details that feel futuristic yet believable. And while the Polestar brand is charting their own, very-real electric-only brand identity, the Synergy concept is a clear departure from their sleek passenger vehicles currently for sale.
“The ‘Polestar Synergy’ electric fantasy supercar combines three winning designs which took the honours in the latest competition from a field of over 600 entries.
Entrants responded to a brief to design a Polestar vehicle centred around the experience of performance, providing an advanced technical story that enables this in a sustainable way.
After shortlisting ten designs, the judging panel selected two exterior winners and one interior winner – a first for the competition.
The resulting Polestar Synergy is the product of over six months of collaboration between the winners and the Polestar Design team to turn three distinct dreams into one cohesive reality.”
“Along with massive wheels pushed out to all four corners, the Synergy concept’s brake lights are primarily featured on a full-width light bar. Those who want to enter its cockpit will do so through a glass canopy that flips forward like some kind of fighter jet.”
-Car and Driver
We like the use of minimal typography throughout the cabin and even on the vehicle’s exterior, a trend that we’ve seen Polestar adopt with some of its passenger cars.
For many of us, retro-futurism often evokes feelings of nostalgia for a time when the future seemed full of endless possibilities. It taps into our memories and perceptions of the past, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity.
In a world that can often feel overwhelming or uncertain, retro-futuristic visions offer an escape to a different, more idealized future. They provide a mental break from the present, offering a refuge from the complexities of contemporary life.
With that in mind, the work of Renaud Marion checks all the right boxes, creating visions that are both space-age yet also familiar. We see classic cars that hover instead of roll. Parked in front of nondescript city buildings, they look used, commonplace and ordinary. The visual twist of making them hover feels like it’s scratching the retro-futuristic itch in the right way.
“During my childhood, as many of my friends, I thought that in the year 2000 we were all going to drive flying cars. Maybe I watched too many science fiction movies such as Blade Runner, a Star wars, or Back to the Future, but I was also influenced by the French draftsman Jean Giraud alias Moebius.” – Renaud Marion
“What if it were true that in their time period Jules Verne or Leonardo da Vinci had created unconsciously universes and basic essentials to accustom the human being into an unpredictable future, one he could never imagine, as to prepare him for an obvious fact.”
As all major automakers make the shift to electrification of their lineups, it’s interesting to see how various brands and models are adapting. Some are going for space-age and new designs, while others are trying to change little else than the powertrain, so as not to upset the existing customer base.
Mercedes is rapidly overhauling their lineup, and their Concept CLA is the latest, taking their small, fast sport coupe, and electrifying it. They’ve kept some of the familiar lines and shapes of the former model, but are leaning heavily into a new design language, one with bold use of lighting, stance, and personality with the new concept.
With a projected range of over 750km (460 miles), the Concept CLA uses the lessons learned from Mercedes’ Vision EQXX, which pushed the limits of how efficient an EV could be.
Check out the design of the concept below, which should make it into production in the next year or two.
“Graceful wheelbase, refined proportions, panoramic windows, and a signature shark-nose front-end design merge to form a captivating symbol of contemporary design in motion.”
The interior features a high-design layout full of interesting textures, patterns and colors. Using eco-friendly and vegan materials, the cabin also features the brand’s recent ambient lighting tricks, which use color and moving patterns to convey motion and feature use.
Electric Future 