A living room on a skateboard: how electric vehicles are redefining the car

Take any petrol car sold today and show it to a mechanic working on a Ford Model T 100 years ago and there is a fairly good chance they would understand roughly how it works. An internal combustion engine at the front turns the wheels, carrying a driver behind a steering wheel, some passengers and luggage.

The advent of electric cars changes everything. No longer will the shape of the car be defined so rigidly by bulky engines, exhaust gas handling or driveshafts. At the same time, digital technology promises to replace everything from rear-view mirrors to the human driver. Never has the car industry had to cope with so many changes all at once.

Here are some of the most striking changes we can expect to see.

Already the lack of an internal combustion engine has had an impact. Look at the front of a Tesla and one thing becomes clear: there is no grille needed to provide air to the engine.

The skateboard means electric cars tend to be a few centimetres taller, and many carmakers have started with bulky sports utility vehicles (SUVs) first so they can fit in more batteries. But there is still more space for passengers.

In France the Ami can be driven by anyone over 14 years of age, with no need for a driving licence.

Producing zero exhaust emissions is not the only major change to how cars look and feel. Reducing waste at end of life is increasingly seen as crucial for carmakers, and that means using fewer parts with fewer complicated mixes of materials where possible.

Overall, digitalisation will have an even bigger effect on car design than even electrification, says van Hooydonk.

All that free time on the move may give people more time for other activities. Cinema-style projectors or virtual reality entertainment are two options in the works. Car consultancies and big tech companies from Apple and Alphabet to Spotify and WeChat believe the car will be the next place where they can sell a huge array of services such as films, games and music.