luxurydefined, the online magazine of Christie’s International Real Estate, presents a new generation of hybrid and all-electric cars They offer a home charge that takes minutes, not hours—and far fewer planet-harming emissions.
Eco-friendly cars are set to ensure that the next decade of vehicle design will be the most revolutionary and disruptive since the automobile was invented. While the internal combustion engine (ICE) may have ruled the industry for more than a century, the world is targeting a future free from the CO2 emissions associated with fossil fuels.
Governments are setting tougher emissions targets, while cities such as Paris, Madrid, and Rome plan to ban diesel and petrol-powered vehicles in the near future.
Reinventing the Wheel
For luxury car makers, this future poses a quandary. Decades of heritage and experience center around the undeniably evocative qualities of the traditional engine. It is a quantifiable demonstration of engineering ability, prestige, and prowess. Then there are the associations with performance, racing, refinement, and skills that have been honed over generations.
Powerful and extremely exclusive, the Lamborghini Sián uses hybrid technology to complement its futuristic style.
So the likes of Jaguar, Bentley, and Aston Martin are quite literally having to reinvent the wheel, or at least the engine. The driver of tomorrow needs either a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), one that combines a conventional internal combustion engine system with an electric propulsion system, or an all-electric model (EV) with zero emissions. But being green isn’t enough—hybrid and electric cars need to look good and perform well, too.
Engineering Luxury
Tesla is the pioneer here, its range of EVs combine conservative styling with far-from-conservative performance. Tech pioneers swapped en masse to the brand, buying into its Silicon Valley backstory and disruptive positioning.
The gauntlet was thrown down for an array of EV sports cars from other brands that are set to redefine the hypercar experience, tapping into the burgeoning market for $1m-plus cars that exist as part investment, part indulgence, and that are as functional as they are fabulous. The idea of a sub-150-mile (241 km) range will be all but forgotten as 300–400 miles (483–644 km) becomes mainstream, alongside 15-minute charge times.
