EV Trends

Author Sakshi Seth

Once a status symbol, electric cars are slowly shifting from the domain of the wealthy to something far more democratic. Affordable batteries and new compact models are opening the door to vehicles that feel expressive, practical and accessible. 

While big-ticket EVs still sit out of reach, smart brands are spotting the opportunity: compact cars with personality, a sense of fun and design that works as well on the street as it does on your socials.

For this month’s Inspo, I’m exploring the evolving EV landscape and the rise of micro mobility… 

Back in 2017, Honda stole the show with the Urban EV concept. Retro-cutesy yet modern, it carried Golf Mk1 vibes in a way that felt both nostalgic and fresh. The Urban proved that EV design didn’t have to be futuristic or austere. It could be playful and compact, all while standing as a credible icon of sustainable mobility.

That mood has lingered, and now others are building on it with designs that feel tighter and more functional, without the gloss of over-engineering.

+ See the project

With its classic ICE VW styling, the ID.1 is a toned-down EV language when compared with the swoopy surface treatment of the first-gen ID family. Solid, racy and reliable, even verging on old-school. It signals a more democratic design language, rooted in familiarity and trust rather than luxury status. This is EV design as an accessible lifestyle companion: everyday mobility first, desirability through usability second.

+ Check it out

Then comes the Nio Firefly, which brings the energy straight from the design studio moodboard to our Instagram scrolls. It’s playful from nose to tail, drenched in colour, and designed with pure charm in mind. Behind the gloss sits a new kind of efficiency.

Integrated components, modular build, unified surfaces… These design cues are shaped by affordability as much as expression.

+ Look closer

Luxury-focused EVs will undoubtedly stick around, but they’re no longer defining the landscape. It’s early days, but perhaps the dinky EV could become a testbed for how sustainability, accessibility and desirability intersect: less about glossy excess, more about clean surfaces, modular platforms and lightweight forms that feel expressive without being overworked. 

In many ways, the compact EV might be where the big questions of mobility, manufacturing and culture start to play out. If large EVs gave us status, the small ones could redefine access.