A automobile’s identify may additionally topic much less to shoppers than its ticket, area, options and aesthetic. However as an workout in advertising and marketing, the raft of clunky EV names represents a neglected alternative.
Simply have a look at Tesla: The corporate would possibly have did not witchcraft out “SEXY” with its 4 fashions as deliberate — “Model E” used to be trademarked through Ford six years earlier than Elon Musk introduced his sedan — however the struggle used to be as memorable, worthy and as distinct because it used to be junior.
In some instances, nowadays’s EV names additionally spotlight a disconnect between R&D and product making plans. Just about each and every automaker has prepared an motivated timeline to totally transfer to EVs, however that memo would possibly had been misplaced at the society naming the Kia EV6, for instance, or the GMC Hummer EV. The ones labels is not going to time smartly.
“They are just dating themselves,” Placek says. “Within five years almost everyone driving a new car will be in an EV or a hybrid.”
There also are the names that metastasize, tacking on letters or changing into much less sunny because the variants proliferate.
Audi introduced its seminal electrical automobile because the “E-tron” — good plethora — however now it has a slew of E-trons, together with the latest and a (very other) E-tron GT.
Mercedes made a indistinguishable hash of it. The corporate’s EV fashions come with the EQS, EQA, EQB and EQE, in addition to the EQS SUV, EQB crossover and EQE crossover. On the very lead finish, Mercedes additionally throws an AMG into the combination. No person needs to pressure an alphabet salad.
Volvo derivative Polestar, in the meantime, took the iPhone manner: Its first automobile (not in manufacturing) used to be the 1. Now there’s the two, and three is coming quickly. The Polestar 12 goes to be bananas.
The most productive EV names arguably don’t seem to be acronyms or jumbles of letters; they’re unutilized and nouny and a laugh to mention.
Basic Motors took this direction with its Chevrolet Bolt and Cadillac Lyric. Hyundai’s Ioniq clicks effectively. Lucid has its Breeze, Fisker its Ocean, and Subaru its Solterra.
After there’s Nissan’s Ariya, allegedly a tarting up of the Sanskrit assurance for noble or superior. Porsche’s Taycan is a singular selection, but in addition conjures to thoughts an elusive forest beast.
There will probably be extra alternatives to fortify upon EV names within the future years.
Till after, recognize the Toyota crew that pitched “Prius,” which nonetheless has a pleasant ring to it 25 years nearest. Too wicked that crew wasn’t round to save lots of us from the bZ4X.
