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This chart [1] is awesome reminder of a current state in car design. Even without Tesla, a change is in dire need. https://www.dropbox.com/s/coe1mnbupjv8qbe/1

This chart [1] is awesome reminder of a current state in car design. Even without Tesla, a change is in dire need. https://www.dropbox.com/s/coe1mnbupjv8qbe/1_uEe9rvbQB8XM6uYWT_6vng.jpeg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/coe1mnbupjv8qbe/1_uEe9rvbQB8XM6uYW...

linksnapzz 7y ago
That chart makes me want to start drinking early today. :( Nuccio Bertone, where have you gone?
ed312 7y ago
I get what you're trying to show with that image, but could it just be that its hard to design an attractive giant SUV?
542458 7y ago
I mean, once you’ve accepted the basic requirements of: * four wheels * meets legal size limits * reasonable aerodynamic characteristics * room for passengers * sufficiently sized windows and doors * crumplezone * reasonable collision and roll characteristics * front that mitigates damage to pedestrians * (for SUVs) large trunk with large door * practical to manufacture * etc the design space is pretty limited, and so it’s not surprising that all vehicles in a given class look pretty similar. It’s like how most large planes look pretty similar - it’s not laziness, it’s optimization within constraints. It’s also worth noting that the Cybertruck, as shown, does not meet a lot of the basic requirements (rear views, windshield wipers, impact characteristics, headlight legality) so any shipping version will have to have a changes made towards a more traditional form.
mcv 7y ago
I totally agree. When I was a kid, you could recognise car brands by the shape of the hood. These days, Saab's distinctive curve is gone, Volvo's blockiness is gone, all the weird Renaults now look the same. But it makes sense: all cars try to be as aerodynamic as possible, while creating as much space for the passengers in the smallest size possible. The better designers get at optimising for these requirements, the more cars will look alike.

linksnapzz 7y ago

That chart makes me want to start drinking early today. :( Nuccio Bertone, where have you gone?

ed312 7y ago

I get what you're trying to show with that image, but could it just be that its hard to design an attractive giant SUV?

542458 7y ago

I mean, once you’ve accepted the basic requirements of: * four wheels * meets legal size limits * reasonable aerodynamic characteristics * room for passengers * sufficiently sized windows and doors * crumplezone * reasonable collision and roll characteristics * front that mitigates damage to pedestrians * (for SUVs) large trunk with large door * practical to manufacture * etc the design space is pretty limited, and so it’s not surprising that all vehicles in a given class look pretty similar. It’s like how most large planes look pretty similar - it’s not laziness, it’s optimization within constraints. It’s also worth noting that the Cybertruck, as shown, does not meet a lot of the basic requirements (rear views, windshield wipers, impact characteristics, headlight legality) so any shipping version will have to have a changes made towards a more traditional form.

mcv 7y ago

I totally agree. When I was a kid, you could recognise car brands by the shape of the hood. These days, Saab's distinctive curve is gone, Volvo's blockiness is gone, all the weird Renaults now look the same. But it makes sense: all cars try to be as aerodynamic as possible, while creating as much space for the passengers in the smallest size possible. The better designers get at optimising for these requirements, the more cars will look alike.