Future Classics

HOW DOES ONE BEGIN TO DESIGN AN ELECTRIC CAR? CHERY AUTOMOBILE'S CHIEF DESIGNER STEVE EUM STARTS WITH THE STORY.

- FARHAN SHAH

WHEN THE FIRST modern electric vehicles rolled off the assembly lines, they looked futuristic—some might even say overly so. To differentiate them from petrol-powered ones, automakers pushed the design envelope. There were no templates or guardrails, just pure imagination. The fundamentals remained: four wheels, a steering wheel, and passenger and driver seats. But within that metal body, they had freedom.

“Nobody honestly knew what an electric vehicle should look like. As designers, we needed to discover whether they needed to be a different animal to begin with,” says Steve Eum. The chief designer for Chery Automobile, whose extensive automotive portfolio includes Jaecoo and Omoda, understood that cars were more than transportation. They also reflected their owners’ lifestyles. “Customers will tell us what resonates with them and what they do not like. Superior design always connects with the audience.” Of course, there is an added wrinkle to automotive design.

Engineering and technical limitations, as well as local regulations, must be adhered to. So, when he designs cars, Eum works closely with automotive engineers. He studied engineering in school and is well acquainted with the discipline.