Reinventing the Wheel

With electric vehicles poised to write a whole new chapter in automotive history, Robb Report thought this a smart moment to go back to the drawing board. Here, some of the world's top design visionaries brainstorm the sleekest, cleverest, and in some cases, kookiest rides of the future.

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As the world shifts toward sustainable transportation, the future of electric-vehicle design is on the cusp of a transformation. EV sales may be stagnating of late, but thanks to advancements in battery technology, autonomous driving, and eco-conscious materials, the cars of tomorrow could look and perform in ways we can only begin to imagine. Which is what we decided to do.

Robb Report challenged some of the most exciting names across a spectrum of creative fields—watches, jewellery, fashion, architecture, furniture, yachts, music, and even cars—to dream up original EVs that push beyond today's production models. Unchained from the need to house a massive internal-combustion engine— and, in some cases, a human driver— they responded with wildly inventive renderings, which fill the following pages. From sleek supercars that look like they should be driven by movie villains to whimsical contraptions that lean more toward Pixar animation, the designs in this portfolio are sure to rev up petrolheads. And who knows? They could be coming to a road near you in the not-so-distant future.

PROJECT NAME: '27X Speed WHO: J. David Weiss, president and founder of Designova Creative + Associates Innovation Consultancy

BRIEF: "My '27X Speed concept is born from an intersection of inspirations: my nearly 20 years of working in the fascinating world of yacht design and the DNA I have developed in crafting vessels of scale and presence, but also the more recent time I have spent developing the nascent EV marine sector, building hydrofoils, ultra e-skis, super e-powerboats and more.