Hasta La Ideas

I’m always impressed by designers that have range, and this might be the most extreme example I’ve seen, at least in the automotive world.

Joachim Nordwall is a Swedish transportation designer and Art Center grad. As the former design director for Koenigsegg, Nordwall designed their Jesko, a $3 million hypercar:

Most recently, Nordwall designed this Luvly O, a €10,000 (USD $10,623) EV:

The O is by Swedish EV manufacturer Luvly, which seeks to create affordable, sustainable, and safe transportation simplicity.

Sustainable:

“We’ve tackled one of the biggest sustainability concerns in electric vehicles – battery size. By keeping our vehicle lightweight, we’ve been able to minimize the size of the battery, one of the more problematic parts of electric vehicles. And when it comes to recycling our products, we’ve made sure that it’s straightforward and easy. The body is made from a single lightweight material that needs no surface treatment and goes straight to recycling.

Safe:

“We have made a promise to deliver best-in-class safety. The solution is ‘Slow formula racing tech,’ applying the principles from Formula racing cars on LUVs [lightweight utility vehicles]. A strong, lightweight safety cell using sandwich composites and added Energy Absorption Zones to the outside ensures that the passengers are well protected, despite the deceivingly low weight. We have the ambition to offer passive safety comparable to a small car.”

Simple:

“The Luvly opinion is that simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. That’s why we’ve spent years simplifying the way light vehicles are built, and now we’ve taken it to a whole new level with Luvly O. We have worked on the way they are produced, simplifying assembly processes so that the parts for our vehicles can be distributed to microfactories close to you in flat packs, saving lots of emissions and pollution in the process. We have made sure that they can be sold and delivered to you straight from the factory, saving time and money.”

“With our innovative two-battery swap system, charging your vehicle has never been simpler. You can charge it anywhere – at home, in the office, at the café, or like, wherever.”

“The minimalist design and intuitive interface make it easy to communicate with your LUV, and to connect your personal devices. No complicated buttons, no confusing menus. Just simple, easy-to-use controls that allow you to focus on the road ahead.”

The company reckons that their production methods yield an energy savings of “up to 80%” during production, “as well as in operation of the vehicle.”

The two-seater has a 100km (62 mile) range. It makes good sense for those living in or near European cities, but I’d say the chances of this coming to the ‘States are slim.