Concepts Offer Mass Market Glimpse of Future Tech, UX

Automakers have always presented wild-and-woolly concept, one-off and seriously limited-edition cars, but do they have much trickle-down relevance to the mass market?

We’ve looked at a few of the more recent ones that could have technology and design features that may well be taken up by cars brought to market in the future.

Lotus Theory 1

Of course, many of the concepts reflect the automakers’ push toward battery-electric vehicles such as the new Lotus Theory 1.

And it is hardly surprising that the “user experience” gets a good going-over in the press material. That is because UX has a greater impact on the product than PX, the “performance experience” you would get from a hypercar boasting a lusty internal-combustion-engine powertrain.

The difference between, say, a naturally aspirated 12Cilindri Berlinetta 6.5L V-12 from Ferrari and the twin-turbocharged 5.2L V-12 in the Aston Martin Vanquish, will be dramatic to even the least mechanically empathetic driver. Both were first conceived as concepts targeting a dwindling, we are told, band of ICE aficionados. Both enjoy different torque curves and powerband aspects while delivering almost the same maximum outputs. The difference in PX lies in the way the power comes in.

That differentiation in PX is often harder when it comes to the relatively similar propulsion properties of BEVs with their instant, zero-rpm torque and typically steady power at speed. That said, there are some BEVs, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, that do build in a dynamic driving experience to mimic the “feel” of that power delivery a hypercar enjoys and with performance to match.

However, the Lotus concept is being marketed more of a lifestyle product and, as such, features some UX tech that may well find its way into mainstream consumer products in the future.

Heading up the vehicle’s in-cabin experience is a technology dubbed Lotuswear that features inflatable pods in seats and even on the steering wheel that inflate or deflate in concert with how the vehicle is being driven.

Lotus Theory 1 cabin.

So, when the sports-oriented car is being driven briskly, or on a race circuit, the pods will react in real-time increasing support, grip and subtle prompts via personalized haptic feedback. 

For example, pulses on the left and right sides of the wheel will indicate when the driver should make a turn depending on five driving modes including Range, Tour, Sport, Individual and Track.

We can see versions of this technology even making it into mainstream cars, offering the ability for the vehicle’s occupants to get a ride quality that optimizes cabin comfort as it reacts to the way the car is being driven.

R17 Electric Restomod

Renault shows a different approach with its latest BEV concept and one that reflects a hugely successful design trend on the motorcycle scene for a retro-styled vehicle.

Its R17 electric Restomod is a reworking of the aesthetics of the classic Renault 17 sports coupé of the 1970s created in collaboration with the auto designer Ora Ïto.

Here, the potential to revisit design languages of the past while still meeting modern safety standards could become a major marketing asset for BEVs in the way those languages have awakened a lifestyle approach to personal transport in the motorcycle industry.

The R17 Restomod is a 2-door coupé with a practical tailgate and offers a modern interpretation of the original Renault 17’s four-headlamp face, frameless doors, a body with no central pillar, fully opening rear side windows and second quarter windows with louvers.

Renault R17 Restomod.

The concept uses a similar monocoque platform and sports the same cabin, doors, windows, glazing, seals and underbody. Its body is 6.7 ins. (170 mm) wider for better roadholding and more smoothly designed wings and wheels give an elegant air while also improving aerodynamics.

Its BEV powertrain claims a mass-market-focused 270 hp, placing it almost exactly in the same market segment as its 1970s predecessor.

Less mass-market is the R17 Restomod’s carbon-fiber chassis with its flush lines keeping the curb weight down to just 3,086 lbs. (1,400 kg).

The retro styling is echoed inside the cabin with the seats redesigned around the original “petal” structure, with upholstery featuring fashionable ’70s colors with brown Merino wool and lightweight beige wool bouclé fabric.

We’ve sat through countless conversations with modern vehicle designers explaining how today’s safety regulations mean they can’t come near to the evocative designs of yore.

Assuming the R17 Restomod can meet these mandated standards, Ora Ïto proves them wrong. Let’s hope better, more attractive car design can reawaken the consumer’s passion for the automobile even if it’s only a BEV.

Pininfarina Namx HUV

While thinking of design, the famous Italian automotive design studio Pininfarina turned its skills to highlight a future powertrain concept, the Namx HUV (hydrogen utility vehicle) first shown at the 2022 Paris auto show.

This Afro-European automotive start-up envisions a hybrid hydrogen powertrain employing removable fuel capsules that can be exchanged/or refueled without having to fill the vehicle’s whole tank. This is meant to address the current lack of service stations equipped with hydrogen fueling equipment, especially in less-developed regions of the world.

Pininfarina NAMX HUV.

That said, many in the energy industry see the potential of sites in both Africa and South America as ideal for the commercial production of green, sustainably produced hydrogen. So, hydrogen-powered vehicles, both as trucks and passenger vehicles, could be a more practical alternative to BEVs considering the huge distances involved in traversing the continents. 

The HUV concept has six 1.1-lb. (0.5-kg) pull-out interchangeable hydrogen capsules (pictured, below) on top of the main 11-lb. (5-kg) tank, providing a total driving range of 500 miles (805 km).

Its powertrain is intended for many markets as a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, but NAMX is also working on a hydrogen ICE powertrain for other markets.

This combustion engine claims emissions of less than 1g of CO2 per 100 km (62 mi,), mainly through the tiny burning off of engine oil during combustion.

A series production version will be marketed in two versions: an entry-level rear-wheel-drive version with 300 hp with a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) and acceleration to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.5 seconds, and an all-wheel-drive GTH version with 550 hp with a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a sprint time of 4.5 seconds.

Namx plans to market the vehicle from late 2025 priced from $72,580 (€65,000).