SILK: Electric Sports Coupe with Pedestrian Warning System
Abstract |
Inspiration |
Method |
Result
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Abstract
The large percentage of future cars will be electric. Looking at this scenario I aimed at creating a new and distinctive brand image for Mercedes while keeping links with the existing Mercedes design direction. Along with this the design was aimed at improving the pedestrian safety aspect of the road car.
Inspiration
In the project I took inspiration from the new Mercedes design language representing the body surfaces like silk. The folds on silk convey a feeling of elegance and mystery to the design that is very vital to make a brand distinctive. It also gives a feeling of lightness, which is the way onward for all future cars. Another inspiration is Cymatics, which is a new science investigating the interaction between sound and physical matter. Cymatics represents repeating beautiful patterns with positive and negative spaces that merge into each other in perfect harmony.
Method
The method I followed to arrive at the final design was scattered and confusing at times. But I managed to stick to my time plan. I started with an initial paper mock-up for the interior scheme that was inspired from interaction between positive and negative surfaces. Then I researched for areas of improvement and potential problems in current electric vehicles, and what can make Mercedes a distinctive player in this segment in the future. With this research as backup I tried to grasp the existing Mercedes design language and develop it to give future Mercedes electric cars a distinctive design language.
Result
The final result is in the form of a 3-seater electric engine sports coupe. The car has the same wheelbase as the existing Mercedes SLK. The design moves away from the conventional 2-seater to a 3-seater approach to make it a more conventional and practical vehicle. With the efficiency of electric motors and lightweight construction the car is capable of seating three adults, which makes the design all the more practical.
I decided to move away from the more practical compact electric car to a sports coupe to add more desirability, something lacking in the current compact cars. This car will be aimed at the enthusiastic consumers who want something more desirable than a conventional sedan or compact car but also want it to be efficient and environmentally friendly.
The front MERCEDES logo on the car packs a powerful HSS speaker, which coupled with sensors in the four corners of the body make this car highly safe for pedestrians. This design represents a new design language for future Mercedes sports cars with a link to the current design language.