How EVs are delivering new packages
I pitched a story to Car Design News about the packaging possibilities being opened up by electric cars. While a Tesla Model S might look like a conventional, fastback saloon from the outside, under the skin all its drivetrain hardware is carried low in a “skateboard” layout. This is why the Model S has a large storage space or “frunk” under the bonnet and room for two jump seats in the boot.
Almost all the EVs on the drawing board today adopt the same layout, with batteries carried in a wide, flat layer between the axles and compact electric motors positioned at hub height. The result is exceptional cabin space and the possibility of entirely new form factors in the future.
Key quote
Once all the drive components of a vehicle have been packaged into a low-slung module, designers gain huge freedom over the body on top