Challenge

Autonomous and electric technology threatens to create a new era of vehicles that are difficult to distinguish from one another and lack ‘soul’. As part of our Future of Mobility series, we designed, in collaboration with Top Gear journalist, Stephen Dobbie, a new approach to electric vehicle manufacturing which allows for personalised, sustainable car design through the use of virtual reality.

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Insights

Lean demonstrates how the simplicity of the modular electric vehicle (EV) architecture, coupled with advancements in virtual reality technology and manufacturing techniques, can lead to a new way of designing and building cars which is not only sustainable, but also desirable.

Mirroring the mass platform-sharing used by some of the biggest car groups, Lean cars are underpinned by an electric skateboard chassis, upon which different interior layouts and body shells can be applied and 3D-printed with no delay to manufacturing time. Batteries can be moved around to mimic front or mid-engine layouts, whilst crash testing can take place virtually and suspension setups by algorithm.

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These factors will be the catalyst for a new era of coach-building, predicted to redefine vehicle aesthetics and driving experience. In a future where the automotive industry is defined by electrification and autonomy, agile, fast-moving companies will be those who leverage technology to create product desirability through craft and bespoke driving experiences.

The future of car ownership needs to be both sustainable and agile to meet society’s changing relationship with vehicle ownership.  Lean is about laying the foundations for manufacturers and car owners who care about the planet and who also have a passion for driving. We’re digitising and democratising both the build process and the ideas around car ownership more broadly, thinking about how people will interact with driving in the future.

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This single seat, driver-focused, lightweight sports car concept predicts how the simplification of electric architecture will enable the rebirth of coach building for the autonomous age, helping smaller-scale, eclectic manufacturers create truly bespoke vehicles which will help us redefine our relationship with the car.

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Insights

A return to coach building will allow individuals to determine how their vehicle will look, but modular electric architecture will also enable them to determine how their car feels to drive.

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Rather than autonomy resulting in a more sterile driving experiences, Lean harnesses the technology to help drivers understand the limits of their vehicles, unlocking new, thrilling driving experiences on the road and on the track through advanced assistive driving aids.