2018 has brought us some incredible concept cars, ranging from extremely weird to stunningly beautiful, and from painstakingly slow to warp-speed fast, but they were all innovative in one way or another.
While most concept cars are just built for show and never turn into something we can buy and legally drive on the road, they still give us pointers of where car design is headed, and which features we will see on new cars in a not-too-distant future.
It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that most concept cars now focus on the future of autonomous cars with electric powertrains, and while that might sound dreary to the die-hard car enthusiasts out there, it's something we'll just have to accept. The days of the fossil-fueled cars are coming to an end, and they will slowly but surely disappear one-by-one over the next couple of decades.
But hey, it's not all bad news! With all the new technology being developed for the next generation of concept cars, we are now starting to see EVs capable of doing long distances, and they're fast as well! And since there are no huge oily lumps taking up space, the designers get to be much more playful, coming up with designs that would've been impossible just a few years ago.
...And as far as fully-autonomous vehicles go, they're still a few decades away - which means we get to enjoy driving for a long time to come.
32 Toyota e-Palette
The e-Palette summarizes everything that's wrong with the future of driving. When car companies start viewing driving as a hassle we're in trouble. Toyota describes the e-Palette as “fully-automated, next-generation battery electric vehicle[s] designed to be scalable and customizable for a range of Mobility as a Service business.”
In reality, it looks like a transparent shipping container that only lets you ride as a passenger.
Toyota believes they can start testing the e-Palette as an all-purpose tool for businesses in the early 2020s and plan on producing three different sizes that can be used for multiple purposes.
31 Mercedes Benz Vision Urbanetic
Mercedes-Benz's way of dealing with the future of transporting people and goods is with this weird creation, the Vision Urbanetic concept. Of course, it's a self-driving vehicle - but Mercedes didn't share any details of its range, charging technology, or how the self-driving system works, other than that it has an embedded "self-learning IT infrastructure for the continual analysis of transportation needs."
Translated into everyday language, it means the concept car can calculate where it's most needed by analyzing data. Mercedes reckons the Vision Urbanetic is so flexible that more vehicles can be taken off the road to free up space.
30 Renault EZ-GO
Renault is following up its connected SYMBIOZ passenger car concept with their vision of a zero-emissions fully-automated smart taxi of the future. The users will be able to summon the taxi via an app, and up to six passengers will be able to get a ride to one of the dedicated stations dotted around the city. So, it's like a bus and a taxi combined into one.
Being an urban vehicle, the speed is limited to 30mph, but at least the passengers can enjoy the scenery through the huge glass areas.
The EZ-GO will provide wi-fi, induction charging for phones, and a large screen that shares various bits of information.
29 Smart ForEase
Mercedes' little Smart brand has turned 20 years old already, and the ForEase was built to celebrate its 2 decades on the roads.
The concept plays off the iconic ForTwo, but the roof was thrown away and the car was made more fun.
Designed like a compressed sports car with its fun lines, tiny proportions, and speedster humps behind the occupants, it almost resembles something straight out of a cartoon. The Smart ForEase is an example of what can happen when you let the designers be a bit playful, and clearly, even the Germans have a sense of humor.
28 Buick Enspire
Buick has claimed the new Enspire will do 370 miles on a single charge, but they haven't shared any details about the powertrain. What we do know is that the Enspire concept uses Buick's "eMotion electric propulsion technology" which produces 550 hp. There were also claims of being able to charge it to 80% in just 40 minutes, but once again, no details on the type of charger used to achieve it.
There's a thin LED-light strip across the rear end, and it shares some design details with other Buick concepts, like the headlights being similar to the Avista sports coupe. The interior is very futuristic, with an OLED screen at the front, and an advanced augmented-reality HUD, while most surfaces are covered in suede and natural wood.
27 VW ID Vizzion
The ID Vizzion is more of a lounge than a regular car with the regular controls swapped out for voice and gesture control. The 'driver' interacts with the car via a virtual host and a plethora of touch-screens.
VW has plans of launching the first Vizzion as early as 2021, with the self-driving version maybe appearing around a decade later.
For now, the plan is to use a 111kWh lithium-ion battery pack that gives it a 413-mile range and around 300 horsepower. It should go without saying that it's been fitted with the Lidar, laser scanners, and cameras needed for full self-driving abilities.
26 Volvo 360c
Another car where doing the driving yourself is optional, classified as SAE Level 5. The 360c is fully electric and fully connected, meaning it can communicate with other vehicles and the surrounding infrastructure.
Volvo is developing its own self-driving technology in cooperation with Autoliv through their joint venture called Zenuity. Their technology will be used by Volvo, but will also be available to other companies.
Volvo is keen to develop self-driving vehicles and see various scenarios where they believe life will be made safer and easier by not having people drive themselves.
25 Nissan XMotion
The Nissan Xmotion is filled to the brim with technology. There's a total of seven touch-screens inside, which probably is a bit overkill considering there are complaints about The Tesla Model 3's all-in-one touch-screen approach to the instrument cluster. Then again, the 'driver' must have something to do with all his spare time behind the wheel of an autonomous car.
The concept is eye-catching though, with its suicide doors, off-road stance, LEDs, and red interior with wood trim. Even with all this gadgetry going on, I think the best thing about the car must be the personal assistant that lives inside the infotainment system - in the shape of a Koi fish!
24 Iconiq Model Seven
With the Model Seven, Iconiq has chosen to go for the ultimate passenger experience for their self-driving car, hence the label 'the world's first all-electric passenger-focused MPV.'
It uses Microsoft's Azure cloud technology, offering facial and vocal recognition so the passengers can fully utilize their digital presence without having to stare down at the phone during the ride. The vehicle will most likely recognize its passengers through their phone signals before they even get in the car.
There are two comfortable seats in the rear that can recline to a full-flat position, and they face a massive touch-screen display.
23 Kia e-Niro
The e-Niro is based on the already existing Niro crossover and will be available with two different lithium-ion battery packs, one with 39.2 kWh and one providing 64kWh, offering 193 and 301 miles range.
As well as the usual driver assistance systems, like automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance, the e-Niro has Level 2 autonomous capability, which follows traffic and keeps the car in its lane.
There's a battery heating system, and a pre-conditioning system to heat or cool the car before a journey.
Design-wise, the Niro EV stands out from the other Niro's with a new front end, as well as arrow-shaped daytime running lights. At the rear, it has model-exclusive LED tail-lights.
The interior has blue trim to match the exterior highlights.
22 Lexus LF-1 Limitless
Toyota is hoping to have the Lexus LF-1 Limitless concept ready for consumers by 2019.
The crossover aims to make the driving experience easier with touch controls on the steering wheel and a touchpad on the center console.
Design wise, the LF-1 Limitless Concept might be the most radical vehicle Lexus has ever come up with, with some calling it “the sexiest SUV on the planet.”
The LF-1 concept could be powered by fuel cell, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, gasoline, or even all-electric. By 2025, every Lexus model will be available either as a dedicated electrified model or have an electrified option.
21 BMW Vision iNext
BMW hasn't given out many details about the iNext, but has said there will be a pair of electric motors that will make it accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4.0 seconds. The iNext will be electric and feature a fifth-generation battery design. The largest battery is expected to be a 120kWh unit, providing over 370 miles of range.
There will also be Level 3 self-driving capability, with Level 4 technically being possible but probably not offered initially to the public when it goes on sale in 2022. The design still features the signature kidney-grille, but it now serves as an "intelligence panel" with sensors required for self-driving
20 GAC Enverge
The Chinese auto company revealed their electric crossover concept at the Detroit auto show. Currently, there is no projected release date for the GAC Enverge, but GAC are hoping that they'll be able to enter the U.S. market before the end of 2019.
The Enverge concept does have plenty of flashy features, like the gull-wing doors. They might not be the most practical doors, but they sure do look good. Inside there's a large screen up front and AR features for the rear passengers. GAC has claimed the Enverge can drive 370 miles per charge.
19 Nissan IMx
The IMx all-wheel-drive electric SUV is scheduled to appear as early as 2020 and will be built on the Leaf chassis.
The concept has the battery fitted low in the chassis and has dual motors with a total of 429 horsepower. Claimed range is 380 miles, but in the real world that will probably be quite a bit less.
The IMx uses ProPilot, which is a self-driving system similar to Tesla's Autopilot. The concept car also had a retractable steering wheel which frees up some more space in the already generously spaced cabin.
18 Byton All-Electric SUV
China's Byton All-Electric SUV is scheduled for release in 2019, though it won't be identical to the concept car Byton has claimed the concept represents about 85% of the car that goes on sale.
According to Byton, the SUV is a "smart intuitive vehicle" that may be sold with facial recognition technology, cameras instead of side mirrors, gesture and voice controls, and of course - self-driving capabilities.
It's quite clear that Byton has taken aim at Tesla's market, and with the product they showed off, they're outperforming Tesla in most areas. Things are about to get interesting!
17 Subaru Viziv Tourer
The Viziv Tourer is slightly more compact from front to back than the current Subaru Outback, but it's close to three inches wider and nearly a foot lower. It has a sharp front-end, and it's a Subaru - so a hood scoop was a must-have.
While Subaru has kept quiet about the power plant, it has been made clear that the concept car uses a boxer engine. The Viziv uses the "Eyesight" advanced safety system, which should make it, ahem, safer. Since Subaru has plans for improving the Eyesight safety system, there's a chance the car won't see production until that's done and ready.
16 Infiniti Q Inspiration
There currently isn't a projected release date for the Infiniti Q Inspiration, but it has been confirmed that the car will have the world's first variable compression engine, designed to be more powerful and efficient than a standard engine. There's also a possibility it will be available as an EV, as Nissan has said most Infinitis after 2021 will have an electric alternative.
The Q Inspiration has already won awards for “Best Concept Vehicle" and "Best Designed Interior” at the annual EyesOn Design Awards, so there's nothing wrong with its looks. The cabin has a minimalist design centered around the occupants rather than being flashy.
15 VW ID Buzz Cargo
The ID Buzz Cargo is a commercial version of the ID Buzz passenger-friendly car that was unveiled in 2017. It's pretty much a spiritual successor to the iconic Microbus, and if the demand is sufficient, VW will launch the electric commercial Cargo version alongside the passenger van in 2022.
The ID Buzz Cargo has the longest version of VW's MEB modular platform, which does allow for a 111kWh battery to be fitted, that would give it a potential range of 340 miles. However, VW believes most buyers will go for the 48kWh battery that provides a 200-mile range. With a 150kWh charger, it would only take 15 minutes to get an 80% charge on a 48kWh battery.
14 Peugeot E-Legend
The Peugeot E-Legend looks absolutely amazing, it's like a muscle car and the classic Peugeot 504 had a baby. Sadly, instead of being a proper driver's car that will hit the showrooms soon, the E-Legend is a design showcase for what future fully autonomous Peugeots could look like.
The interior is a mix and match of the past and the future, with 'wood' panels representing the past, and the massive, curved 49-inch screen and small, fully retractable (for autonomous driving) steering wheel showing us what the future will be like.
13 Lynk & Co. 03 Cyan Concept
Lynk & Co. was launched in 2016 and is so far only sold in China, but that didn't stop them from partnering up with Cyan Racing, the Swedish race team that split up from Polestar/Volvo.
The car company is committed to launching in Europe in 2019 and wants to expand to the United States at a later stage. They have also announced their plans of racing in the 2019 World Touring Car Cup with their compact sedan.
Together with the race car, they revealed a road-going version with a rather hefty 500 hp, but as of yet, there has been no mention of production.