According to Gordon Wagener, Design Director of Daimler AG, the global trend towards electrification will force creatives to reconsider their approaches to vehicle design – and the future does not look bright for sedan enthusiasts.
Any electric car needs bulky batteries to be viable, and a slim four-door car is not an optimum shape to hold them. In order to improve aerodynamics and optimize powertrain placement, designers will be experimenting with ground clearance and form factor much in the coming years.
Wagener pointed out that the electrified part of the Mercedes-Benz lineup at the IAA 2021 was a good illustration of this. Designers spend many years perfecting the style of different cars, making sure none looks too much like any other. The introduction of the EQ range was a bold move to make, and Mercedes is committed to continuing its development. However, based on the design studies we have seen so far, future Mercedes cars will probably look more like a mix between sedan, coupe and hatchback,
In summer, the German automaker revealed a development strategy according to which it was planning to discontinue ICE engines and electrify its entire lineup by early 2030s. The development of new internal combustion engines should cease in 2025, although the marque will continue to produce ICE cars based on existing tech for a while longer.