Concept cars unlock future of mobility

All big ideas have humble beginnings.  Every brainwave starts on the drawing board.  These are universal truths, but particularly applicable to the world of cutting-edge vehicles, where high R&D investment and punishing production costs, not to mention the glare of global publicity, mean innovations, performance, and opinions have to be thoroughly tested well before the wheels of mass production start turning.  

Never has this been more evident than today, as the very notions of what is a ‘vehicle’ and the concept of ‘mobility;’ itself undertakes their biggest revolution in generations.

For decades, cars, bikes and trucks have endured with little more than tweaks and tucks around a relatively static concept – the shift from leaded to unleaded fuel, the introduction of a new technology that soon becomes ubiquitous and a safety standard like anti-lock braking systems (ABS), or the widespread adoption of in-car navigation systems, for example.

We no longer live in a world of such modest progressions . . . .

In our modern, turbocharged reality we are rushing towards an exotic new future.  A future in which vehicles are powered by new, sustainable sources of energy; where some cars drive themselves or where ‘hybrid vehicles’ merge the merits of multiple modes of transport.  With unprecedented speed we are driving, pedaling and in some cases even flying into a brave new world.

Not all of these ‘vehicles of tomorrow’ will see mass production.  That is the very purpose of a concept vehicle – to test ideas and innovations to see which best satisfy future trends and promise a viable commercial destiny.  Concept vehicles have a long and varied history.  Understanding some of these milestones can help place today’s technological trendsetters in a more realistic context.

Highlights from history

In the almost 140 years since the ‘horseless carriage’ was invented, concept vehicles have emerged in all shapes and sizes.  Some have two wheels; others take inspiration from the natural kingdom; a few even aim to defy gravity altogether.  However, concept vehicles have found their ultimate expression in the form of the motor car.

Connoisseurs might argue about which concept cars have become the most iconic, or best represent milestone moments in motoring.

More than a decade before he hit mass-market popularity with the Model T, American inventor Henry Ford unveiled his Quadricycle, initially conceived as a horseless carriage.  

This brakeless four-wheeler was steered with a tiller, rather like a boat, but never entered mass production.  

Instead, Buick’s Y-Job of 1938 can justifiably claim to be the first ‘concept car’ of truly global renown.  

Its concealed headlamps, electric windows, wraparound bumpers and retractable roof all became stylistic touches for auto manufacturers for decades to come.

For a while, concept cars came to mean one thing – speed.  

Alfa Romeo’s trio of B.A.T cars in the 1950s emphasized aerodynamic designs and low drag coefficients to clock speeds of up to 200kph.  General Motors’ Firebird II of 1956 not only looked like a jet plane but was actually powered by a jet engine (a Whirlfire GT-304 gas turbine) and featured prototype forms of air conditioning, mounted cameras and two-way communication systems.  Ferrari’s 512 S Modulo of 1970 dispensed with doors in favor of a retractable windshield for fast access and sported covered wheels reminiscent of racing cars.

Since the surge of interest in electric vehicles (EVs) at the turn of the 21^st Century, ‘landmark’ in car terms has come to mean efficiency and cleanliness.  EV devotees point to the Tesla Roadster (2008), the first EV to exceed a 200 mile driving range, or the Nissan Leaf (2010), the first zero-emission five-door hatchback from a major manufacturer, as game-changing concept cars.

It is not only cars that have been the subject of some startlingly creative concepts.  Bicycles, too, have been on a journey of their own.  The first workable concept model was the German two-wheeled wooden velocipede in the early 1800s – its invention prompted, in many accounts, by the mass starvation of horses during successive crop failures.  Two-wheelers underwent a renaissance in the 1860s, with early pedal-driven models appearing on the market, and the first ‘high-wheel’ variants appearing the following decade, most memorably the Penny Farthing.

The emergence of chain-driven bicycles in the 1880s, allowing for geared systems, made all earlier models obsolete.  Concepts such as the Rover Safety Bike of 1885 consigned large front wheels to the history books by introducing pneumatic tires, essentially setting the template for the bicycles we see today.

Far from being a millennial craze, the first e-bikes equipped with torque sensors and power controls actually appeared in concept form in the 1990s.  Global Motors’ E-bike SX was one of the first attempts to manufacture an affordable-for-all model.  It is only in more recent years, with lightweight technology and a rapid decline in battery costs, that e-bikes have become truly mass-market.

Throughout our technological age, concept vehicles have provided an affordable reconnaissance of the future.  They are a means of exploring ideas without the constraints of current technology, or of trialing flourishes that can later be cherry-picked for wider roll-out.  Concept vehicles are, taken in isolation, money-losers, but that is hardly the point; their return on investment only comes into focus through a long-term lens.

Concepts & changing customer cravings

Global business advisory PwC summarizes future motoring trends as ‘EASCY’ – meaning Electrified, Autonomous, Shared, Connected, and Yearly updatable.[1]

• Electrified: Fossil fuel vehicles are swiftly being legislated out of existence, with many regulators in the UK, USA and EU ambitiously targeting 2035 as the cut-off date for a transition to electric new vehicle sales (although this may prove a little too ambitious).
• Autonomous: Cars capable of driving themselves will liberate time for passengers to engage in work or play, as well as opening up the possibility of motoring to groups presently excluded by age or infirmity.  By 2030, up to 40% of miles driven could incorporate a high degree of autonomy.
• Shared: A car sitting on a driveway is an expensive toy – ownership is not essential for everyone.  Pool cars will rise in popularity in the coming years, reserved only when needed, and often professionally managed and maintained.  By 2030, up to one-third of miles driven could involve shared vehicles.
• Connected: Cities of the future will be ‘smart’, their transport networks running seamlessly from a central computer with live monitoring of roads and rail.  The cars of tomorrow will therefore need to be connected, able not just to communicate with each other for collision avoidance, but with a central intelligence hub for efficient navigation.
• Yearly–Updated: Cars leaving the showroom need no longer be fixed in their final forms.  Changeable components mean they can be regularly updated to accommodate the latest advances in hardware and software, keeping them at the cutting edge for longer.

Every element of the personal mobility industry will be affected by these coming changes.  For manufacturers, it means introducing more flexible production patterns and collaborations with third-party partners.  For insurers, it means new tariff structures and policies for autonomous driving.  For lawmakers, it means formulating new industry standards.  For financial services providers, it means adapting to new customer habits and more complex lease-purchase schemes.  And for traders, it means the phase-out of simple sales and servicing and a new focus on longer-term aftersales support and relationship building.

Why is an understanding of these trends important when looking at the current state of concept vehicles?  Because, ultimately, utility will triumph over fashion.  A concept car with a future beyond motor shows will be one that doesn’t just look appealing but addresses the needs of the modern time-pressed, economically-overstretched and environmentally-aware consumer.

Cutting-edge concepts for the vehicles of tomorrow

Road cars

Toyota, for whom Abdul Latif Jameel has been a trusted partner for almost 70 years, has a track record of conceptualizing some of the world’s most innovative vehicles.

The Toyota LQ, for example, is equipped with SAE Level 4 automated abilities – in other words, able to drive itself without human intervention within set location and speed parameters.  The LQ also aims to be the first vehicle to encourage an emotional bond beyond car and driver, thanks to ‘Yui’, a powerful AI unit designed to learn from the driver and deliver a truly personalized experience.  Voice-activated AI features include an air-conditioned seating system designed to respond to driver alertness levels.

Rival marque Nissan’s current concept cars visually evoke sci-fi movies past and present.  The sleek all-electric Nissan Hyper Force balances raw power with robust green principles, delivering a high-performance supercar driven purely by battery energy.  For those less concerned with speed, Nissan’s Hyper Urban vows to keep pace with an ever-changing world, capable of accommodating ongoing software and hardware upgrades; its V2H function can transfer power from the car to the home electric panel, saving domestic energy costs.  For a more rugged alternative, the Hyper Adventure four-wheel control system can tackle multiple terrains and doubles as a portable energy source.  Other models in the range include the Hyper Punk, which features exclusive paint technology that changes color depending on light source and viewing angle.  

Honda, likewise, has some exciting concepts on the drawing board.  Unveiled at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Honda’s forthcoming 0-Series EVs includes the so-called ‘Space-Hub’, a living room/SUV hybrid with face-to-face seating, a panoramic windscreen and transparent roof for a glasshouse feel.  Space-Hub, due for commercial release in 2026, addresses fears over battery depreciation by promising just 10% range loss after a decade and charge times of 10 to 15 minutes.

Alpine’s electric compact crossover SUV, the all-wheel drive A390, was previewed at the 2024 Paris Motor Show ahead of its 2025 launch.  Prototypes in Paris showed off stylistic flourishes such as a glass roof and rear doors that open in reverse.  More radical still is Alpine’s Alpenglow Hy4, a hydrogen-powered ‘hypercar’ with racetrack potential and a 220mph top speed.  It features a low-riding subframe, aerodynamic contours and an electrifying light detail running throughout the bodywork.

Alpine is not alone in betting on hydrogen. Pininfarina’s Enigma GT, which debuted at the 2024 Geneva International Motor Show, boasts a hydrogen-powered V6 engine and a 0-62mph time of under four seconds.[2]  Stylings, inspired by TV show Star Trek, include a fully-opening canopy and single wraparound windscreen enveloping all passengers.  If it reaches full production, buyers can also expect AI-led driver assistance and augmented reality navigational technology.

Modern technology can combine with retro aesthetics, to striking effect. 

Renault’s R17 Electric Restomod x Ora Ïto, previewed in Paris in 2024, features a state-of-the-art 270 hp EV within bodywork inspired by the classic 1971 Renault 17 – sure to appeal to lovers of vintage vehicles who simultaneously care about protecting the planet.

Jaguar Land Rover’s Project Vector pod, meanwhile, is designed with one eye on the future, described as ‘autonomy-ready’ and primed for plugging into smart city infrastructures as they evolve.  With drivetrains and batteries housed under the floor, interior seating (for up to six passengers) can be rapidly reconfigured to meet either private or shared mobility needs.  Driverless versions have already been trialed on Warwick University’s campus in the UK.

Project Vector straddles the gap between private and commercial applications, with potential use cases including last-mile deliveries.  And it is far from the only concept vehicle aiming to transform goods conveyance.

Light cargo

There is an equal amount of innovation evident in the light vehicle market.

South Korea’s KIA unveiled its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) battery electric van, the PV5, at the International Motor Show Germany (formerly the Frankfurt Motor Show) in autumn this year.  The PV5, due for release in 2025, bills itself as a ‘total mobility solution’, with optimizable software tailored for different market sectors and territories.[3]  Designed for ride-hailing, delivery and utility services, the PV5 features enhanced data connectivity for versatile fleet operations, promising less downtime and greater cost-effectiveness.  Future iterations are likely to be fully interactable with autonomous driving software, smart city infrastructure and energy grids.

Innovation in the light cargo sector comes not just from long-established OEMs, but from tech-savvy disruptors too.

Dutch manufacturer Springtime, for instance, is launching its compact Dispatch prototype for cargo deliveries in big cities[4].  

Currently, many parcels arrive at homes and offices courtesy of diesel-powered vehicles, but Dispatch aims to upend this assumption.  

The ultra-compact e-cargo buggy operates via swappable batteries for uninterrupted running.  It also features a changeable cargo bay which can accommodate everything from enclosed boxes to flat pick-up beds.

Springtime’s alternative delivery solution, Scootility, a 2024 Core77 Design Award-winner, emphasizes efficient cargo storage on two wheels rather than four.  Scootility holds as much as three or four suitcases, yet with ultra-narrow handlebars – measuring less than a bike – and tight turning circle it could become an indispensable concept for congested city deliveries.

For smaller cargo loads, Toyota’s autonomous Micro Palette – essentially a shelf stacking system on a multi-wheeled base – could signify the future of door-to-door deliveries or prove an indispensable accessory for moving warehouse inventory[5].

With ever-more competition for road space, innovators are also busy reimagining the future of motorcycles and bikes.

Motorcycles and bikes

German manufacturer Canyon is engineering solutions to the conventional limitations of motorbiking and cycling – a lack of stability and exposure to the elements.

Canyon’s radical, unnamed ‘Future Mobility Concept’ vehicle is a recumbent e-bike encased in a weather-resistant capsule, with rear storage space for luggage or child[6].  It has a four-wheel base for balance yet remains narrow enough to fit within most cycle lanes.  Steering is controlled via two under-seat joysticks.  Blending the best elements of car and bike, this machine can hit up to 60kph on roads and teases a 150-kilometer range on a single charge.  It might be 2028 before we see this Canyon on the roads, but when it does land it could come with a price tag between €5,000 and €7,000.[7]

Toyota’s i-ROAD takes a similar clean-slate approach, this time to car/bike hybrids[8].  Its three-wheeled battery EV merges the comfort of a car with the maneuverability of a motorbike to weave through gridlocked traffic.  Like a motorbike, the i-ROAD can transport up to two people, while ‘active lean’ technology keeps the experience fun.  Controlled by a gyro sensor, the system automatically moves the wheels up and down in opposing directions, applying a lean angle to counteract the centrifugal force of cornering.

So far, the i-ROAD has only been demonstrated at motor shows.  However, the same ‘active lean’ technology is reappearing in similar vehicles from Japanese startup Lean Mobility, founded by former Toyota designer Akihiro Yanaka.  Its first product, the RideRoid Lean3, is an air-conditioned two-seater just one third the size of a typical passenger car.  A launch date of 2025 is targeted in Japan and Europe, with the intention of selling around 50,000 cars within five years.

Trucks

With Abdul Latif Jameel backed RIVIAN having demonstrated the appetite for next-generation trucking (with their F-150 Lightning and R1T models respectively), where next for the heavier end of the auto market?

Some say the VinFast Wild, developed by Vietnam’s leading EV manufacturer, points to the future, an EV pickup with an extendable mid-gate storage bed[9].  At the push of a button the system automatically folds down the rear seats, glass and bed wall, effectively transforming a compact truck into a beefier mid-sized counterpart of approximately 2.5-meter length – the largest in its segment.

Or perhaps the future of trucking will evolve more along the lines of the all-electric Ram 1500 REV, a utilitarian behemoth whose carry-load could exceed even the 6,350 kg tow limit of the Tesla Cybertruck.  The Ram 1500 REV, first unveiled in concept form in 2023, can traverse water depths of up to 60cm and has a maximum range of 500 miles.  The Ram 1500 REV will enter production before the end of this year and is a serious undertaking for parent company Stellantis, which has spent more than US$ 230 million preparing its Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Detroit for manufacture.[10]

Maybe trucks, constrained by practical considerations, look set to undergo evolution more than revolution – but the same is not true of more niche corners of the vehicle market.

Aerial vehicles

For a true attention-grabber, look no further than China’s Xpeng AeroHT, a six-wheeled truck with one unusual component – an integrated flying module[11].

This ‘land aircraft carrier’ permits exploration not just on land but in the air, too.  

Imagine a rugged six-wheel pickup truck with a drone-style aircraft contained with a rear compartment.  The ‘flying car’, which is charged continually by the road module, can be launched independently and piloted for short distances at low altitudes, for scenic site-hopping or surveying purposes.  The aircraft boasts electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVOTL) technology, manual/automatic piloting modes, distributed electric propulsion for safety, and a 270^o panoramic cockpit.

It might sound outlandish, but this is one concept vehicle apparently destined for production.  Manufacture is expected to commence later this year for delivery in 2025, with a price point under 2 million yuan (US$ 277,000).  Anticipation is running high, with more than 2,000 orders placed following the vehicle’s demonstration at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2024.[12]

Perhaps the Xpeng AeroHT is ahead of its time.  With roads becoming ever busier, the future of human conveyance in urban environments is widely tipped to be electric aerial ride-sharing.

California-based Joby Aviation, a partner of Abdul Latif Jameel’s investment arm, JIMCO[13], is at the forefront of this exciting market.  Joby’s eVOTL aircraft, powered by six motors, will turn the dream of swift and affordable point-to-point aerial transit within cities into a reality.

Designed for one pilot plus four passengers, the ‘flying taxi’ has a 200 mph top speed, zero carbon emissions, and low-to-no noise pollution.  The company has a long-term strategic vision to build a global passenger service saving a billion people an hour or more per day of their lives.

Joby Aviation already has 30,000 miles of safe flying logged and is currently undergoing a multi-year testing program with the FAA.  It hopes to tentatively launch its commercial passenger service in 2025.  November 2024 saw construction commence on the company’s first vertiport, a three-story 3,100 square meter facility with two take-off and landing stands, at Dubai International Airport.[14]

Concepts beyond cars

The creative innovations behind concept cars (or aircraft) are not confined to the vehicles themselves.  Croatian start-up Verne has taken the idea one step further, using concept cars as the foundation for a next-generation mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platform.

Verne’s new urban autonomous mobility ecosystem is based on three key elements:

• A fully autonomous electric two-seater vehicle built on a completely new vehicle platform engineered solely for autonomous driving – with no steering wheel or pedals.
• A cutting-edge ride-hailing platform that allows customers to personalize the vehicle’s settings before ordering a ride, including comfort, lighting, temperature and even scent.
• An HQ called the ‘Mothership’ in each city it operates, where Verne vehicles will be inspected, maintained, cleaned and charged daily.

Verne is currently building its first production facility in Croatia to produce autonomous electric vehicles that will be deployed worldwide.

Solar charging

Whether on the ground or in the air, if the future of vehicles is electric, how do we ensure sufficient charging for regular use?

Several companies are experimenting with advanced solar panels for on-the-go, in-journey charging.

Dutch company Lightyear is one such outfit innovating with solar roofs for vehicles, via its product dubbed the Lightyear Layer.  This Vehicle Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV) platform – essentially solar panels on the vehicles rear roof – provides charging solutions independent of energy grids by harnessing the power of the sun.  For businesses, that means sustainable mobility on their green ledgers and increased operational freedom.  The versatile system promises to be adaptable for different vehicle shapes, sizes and types – passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and even maritime craft.

Some near-future vehicles are already capitalizing on the potential of solar charging.  Aptera Motors, a US car manufacturer, is ahead of the game with its spaceship-inspired solar-powered vehicle Aptera Launch.  

This EV with a lightweight body can reportedly drive for months without charging thanks to 700 watts of on-board solar cells which can capture sufficient energy for 40 miles of commuting daily.  

Inspired by jets and racecars, Aptera’s unique shape allows it to slice through the air using just 30% of the energy consumed by comparable EVs.  In fact, the two-seater vehicle aims to be the most energy-efficient mass-produced vehicle ever.

Concept cars reflect future motoring trends

Concept vehicles are, by definition, starkly divergent in their creation, design and purpose, but patterns emerge from which we can identify those guiding principles outlined earlier: Electric, autonomous, shared, connected and updateable.

Whatever stage of development they are at, from fiberglass mock-up to working prototype, today’s mobility concepts are almost all electric.  Fossil fuel use will peak imminently.[15]  Global warming is at unprecedented levels.[16]  Little surprise, therefore, that consumer sentiment is veering towards renewable forms of mobility.

As competition for time increases and people demand a greater focus on leisure, many of these vehicles feature varying levels of autonomous technology.  From driver assistance to comprehensive autopilot modes, the vehicles of tomorrow aim to take the strain out of personal and commercial transport.

The increasingly connected nature of vehicles (both vehicle-to-vehicle, and between vehicles and centralized traffic hubs) will establish safety and efficiency as top priorities.  Smart cities encourage smart cars, and vice versa.

Several of the vehicles mentioned above – Jaguar Land Rover’s Project Vector and Joby Aviation’s eVOTL, for instance – are designed for shared use rather than personal ownership.  Pool vehicles, often bookable via an app, are not only better for the environment but also work out less expensive for the individual consumer.

An increasing reliance on software components promises to extend the shelf-life of vehicles, being constantly updateable to keep pace with changing trends and performance expectations.

How concept cars help mobilize the future

Inevitably, not all concept vehicles enter full-scale production.  Before being deemed roadworthy or airworthy, they may need modifying for safety, regulatory reasons or cost – and not all will survive this transition.  However, that does not mean concept vehicles are follies, nor bottomless money pits for companies with resources to spare.  Instead, they are a way to affordably trial new ideas in a public forum and push the boundaries of what is believed to be possible. 

A concept car is a “development accelerator”, in the words of Thierry Metroz, design director with French luxury brand DS.  His company was responsible for the DS X e-tense, a powerful, all-electric and autonomous concept car with a holographic personal assistant, which captured eyeballs at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.[17]

“The mobility transition is a journey the whole world is embarking on together.  Concept vehicles are not limited to certain quarters of the globe.  Rather, they are a truly international endeavor, a preoccupation both of OEMs in the developed markets of the US and Europe, as well as disruptors in the so-called tiger economies of Asia seeking to establish a wider presence,” says Jasmmine Wong, Vice President Mobility, Abdul Latif Jameel.

“I firmly believe that innovation must be allowed to take risks, even to fail; indeed, such characteristics are a hallmark of any healthy technological ecosystem.  Ultimately, through a self-selecting mechanism, concept vehicles generate revenue, drive innovation and spur progress.  In daring to imagine what personal transportation of the future could aspire to, they are also vital tools for feeding our hopes and fueling our dreams.”