Much of the form that has traditionally given cars their visual character has been dictated by the function of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and existing electronic architecture.
Cars have always needed grilles for example, to cool their ICE powertrains; lights have been the shape and size they are to accommodate existing technology; the styling proportions of sedans or SUVs are the way they are to package both powertrains and passengers within the “hard points” of a defined space.
This will change as the automotive world transitions to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). They have different requirements, but they also provide carmakers with infinitely more flexibility. For example: BEVs don’t need grilles to cool their engines and advances in lighting technology mean huge scope in headlamp size/shape/placement.
BEV batteries don’t have to be in a particular place and there is no traditional ICE engine/gearbox assembly to accommodate. That means an enormous amount of freedom in vehicle packaging and proportions.
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Carmakers are still being careful in making that transition, in order to take customers with them. Consider the BMW iX, a ground-up bespoke BEV. It’s still instantly recognisable as a BMW thanks to the company’s signature kidney grille (below); it’s just that it no longer fulfils a cooling function. Instead, the grille shape has become an “intelligence panel”, housing a multitude of sensors, cameras and other driver-assistance technology. It’s a touch of tradition brought forward into the future.
BEV technology means cars can be more occupant-centric. Wheelbases can be stretched for example, to give more seating space – which will give cars a very different look. Seating positions can be made lower (for sports models) or higher (for family cars) quite easily by locating batteries in different places.
Aerodynamics will also play a much bigger part in vehicle styling, as carmakers strive to offer maximum range between charges. Expect smooth surfaces everywhere and intense attention to detail, like the retracting doorhandles on the iX. Active inlets (which can open and close automatically) and virtual door mirrors (replacing glass with tiny cameras) will become normal.
BMW’s i Vision Circular concept gives a glimpse of what a compact BEV might look like in 2040. The entire design process is a radical step forward in terms of sustainability, aligning with “circular economy” principles that achieve 100 per cent recycled materials and 100 per cent recyclability. BMW characterises it as: “RE: THINK, RE: DUCE, RE: USE and RE: CYCLE”.
The BMW i Vision Circular further evolves the kidney grille shape by making it a full digital surface that runs horizontally across the car, completely integrating the headlights. The “grille” is actually a light interface capable of different geometric shapes and signals. The BMW brand is laser-etched to achieve a flush surface.
In profile, the BMW i Vision Circular is a “mono-volume” shape, with the wheels pushed right out to the extremes of the platform and a single line front-to-rear – no real “bonnet” or “boot” required. The side glass is flush and instead of chrome trim there is a slim digital graphic around the windows that can also act as a control surface.
Even the wheels and tyres benefit from extra aerodynamic efficiency. The rim centres are permeable to aid brake cooling, while the more enclosed outers help with airflow.
There’s no protruding antenna for communications; instead, a narrow fin is integrated into the roof. At the rear, all light and control surfaces are incorporated into the dark glass tailgate. There are no extraneous parts fitted to the surface and no surface space is compromised… or wasted.