Electric cars are all the rage at the moment. Even though their technology and what they hold for the future of cars is definitely exciting, their designs have been quite lackluster over the last couple of years.
But this isn't always the way to go when it comes to EVs, because there have been quite a few electric cars over the past decade or so, that have been absolute stunners in terms of their design, looking better even than some ICE-powered cars. Here are 10 of the very best design efforts from the electric car world that prove the future isn't quite so boring.
10 Cupra El-Born
Revealed a couple of days ago, just over a year after appearing in concept form and badged as a Seat, the Cupra el-Born is definitely a looker. It shares the MEB architecture with the VW ID.3, but features more aggressive styling, being badged under Seat's Cupra performance arm.
Cupra's MEB effort almost certainly won't be coming to the U.S., which is a shame, because it looks a lot more exciting than its VW twin. Everything from the blue paint scheme to the insane aero wheels, to the bronze accents, it's proof that the future is bright. And electric.
9 Porsche Taycan
As the Panamera and Cayenne showed us, the 911-as-a-starting-point design scheme that Porsche loves so much doesn't always work, but with the Taycan, it worked beautifully. It's easily one of the most beautiful electric cars, maybe ever.
What's more, the Taycan has plenty of performance to back up its excellent design, with the top-of-the-line Turbo S pushing out up to 750 horsepower and providing supercar-matching and even beating performance and handling.
8 Lucid Air
Due to various technical and financial difficulties, it'll probably be a while before the production Lucid Air shows up. That's a shame, because it looks so good, it puts most regular, gas-powered luxury sedans to shame.
Everything from the long, slender silhouette, to the C-pillar inspired by the original Mercedes CL-Class, the Lucid Air has a lot of presence, and it looks great without trying way too hard as some EVs do.
7 Lotus Evija
After the substantial financial injection Lotus received from China, they went ahead and made the most powerful production car in history like it was no big deal.
The Evija puts out a maniacal 1,972 hp and it can do well over 200 mph, which, although is something we take for granted nowadays, most EVs can't top 125. Not to mention, the streamlined body that's built more for function than form is absolutely beautiful, and it ensures that the Evija looks like nothing else on the road.
6 Karma SC2 Prototype
The brand that was once known as Fisker has returned to the automotive world after a substantial cash injection. As well as bringing back the somewhat infamous Fisker Karma as the Karma Revero, they also showed off the incredible SC2 prototype.
A two-door electric coupe featuring scissor doors, and putting down 1,100 hp to the ground, it's definitely no slouch. It also looks effortlessly gorgeous, almost like an Italian-styled body. Karma better get to work on putting it into production as fast as possible.
5 Aspark Owl
While this Japanese electric supercar isn't exactly beautiful, it's certainly striking. It resembles a sports car driven by the villain from an early 2000s cyberpunk novel, and that's a good thing.
The strangely-named Owl hasn't gone into production yet, but the company promises even more power than the Lotus Evija, and they are dead set on making the fastest-accelerating electric car in history. The Japanese tend to keep their promises when it comes to cars, so that's definitely a statement worth trusting.
4 Audi E-Tron S
Recently revealed as the performance version of Audi's first-ever electric SUV, it's proof that an electric crossover, the gearhead's most feared kind of vehicle, can be done properly.
Thanks to the lowered suspension and profile of the e-Tron S, it looks like the RS3's big, iron-pumping brother. The S version also has plenty of shove to back up its looks, with almost 500 horsepower and the ability to have most of the power come out of the back, it definitely looks to be a hoot to drive.
3 Tesla Model 3
Of course, if EVs are the conversation topic, there can never not be a Tesla. While the Model Y and Model X leave a lot to be desired, and we won't even mention the Cybertruck, the Model 3 was definitely done properly.
It's simple, it's compact, and the design strikes a perfect balance between form and function, but also between futuristic and present-day. The only thing missing is the turbine wheels offered on the Model Y Performance. Come on Elon, you know you want to.
2 Toyota Mirai (2nd Generation)
The first generation Mirai was a bit of an ugly duckling. Toyota seemed to acknowledge this, resulting in what has to be one of the biggest glow-ups in the history of the automobile.
The second-generation Mirai is definitely a looker, taking some design influences from the Lexus LS, and it also does the whole EV thing slightly differently, by way of a hydrogen fuel cell instead of just a plug. If Toyota had trouble selling the Mirai previously due to the design, that should no longer be an issue.
1 Hispano Suiza Carmen
The Hispano Suiza Carmen is unlike any other electric car out there. Instead of relying on futuristic styling touches, the Carmen combines those with retro styling touches, creating a truly beautiful concoction.
Everything from the profile to the doors, to the rear wheel covers, and the placement of the rear lights, the Carmen relies on classiness to look good, and it certainly achieves that. Oh, and it also has 1,005 hp, so once again, it's not just all show and no go.
While some EVs throughout the years haven't really made any attempts at style (Mitsubishi i-MiEV), sometimes, automakers really focus on the exterior designs of their battery-powered models, and the end results can sometimes look really good. If every upcoming EV is influenced by any of the cars on this list, the future might be electric, but it's certainly looking bright.