Electromobility Standing out during the Design Week

Related Vendors

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

Design is becoming a distinguishing feature for cars. More and more manufacturers are discovering the Milan Design Week as a stage for their models.

The Denza Z9 GT looks good in the morning sun in front of Milan Cathedral. The German-Chinese brand is using the Design Week in the northern Italian city for its European premiere. The first model is a 5.18 m long (approx. 17 ft long) Shooting Break (coupé with hatchback). Denza will offer it as an electric car and plug-in hybrid. This will be followed by the D9, a seven-seater van with business comfort.

This is about the upper class, which the company wants to equip. To this end, European design expertise has been brought in with Wolfgang Egger. The former Audi designer is responsible for the design of the Z9 and described the model as a gentleman's car at the Milan Design Week. Style, elegance and unmistakable car design should be associated with the northern Italian metropolis. Now the car industry is discovering Design Week as a stage for these values. Denza is not the only car brand in Milan. Aion, Audi, Lexus, Kia, Skoda and Smart are also represented this year.

Own Design Studio in Milan

Milan is a welcome gateway to the European market, especially for Chinese car manufacturers. The state-owned car manufacturer GAC from Guangzhou took over the studio of the late photographer Giovanni Gastel in Milan back in 2022. His office and library remain unchanged to this day. The premises now function as the GAC Design Center Europe. The company has yet to enter the European market. "We know that we first have to build up a sales and service infrastructure," emphasizes Thomas Schemera. As COO of GAC International, the former Hyundai and BMW car manager is responsible for the expansion into Europe. The company is presenting its electric compact car Aion UT in Milan. However, the larger Aion V SUV will make its debut later this year. It will initially go on sale in Poland, Portugal and Israel. The smaller Aion UT will then follow in Germany next year. The Aion UT is already on sale in China. The car is advertised there as having been designed in Milan by European designers. This has been well received, with just over 10,000 units sold in the first two months. Schemera describes the Aion UT as China's mini. UT stands for Urban Traffic. With a length of 4.27 m (approx. 14 ft), the electric car should fit well into the dense traffic of major European cities.

The Largest Smart

In the narrow streets of Milan, you can see many Smart Fortwo cars parked at the side of the road. But this is a glimpse into the past. In the Magma industrial hall, the joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely presents the Smart #5. The 4.70 m long (approx. 15 ft) SUV no longer has anything to do with the former subcompact car. The main sales market today is China, which accounts for 60 percent of sales. There it is all about size and comfort. That is why Smart is presenting the Brabus Edition in Milan. With 475 kW (645 hp) all-wheel drive, it is not only sporty, but also extremely comfortable. The backrests of the rear seats can be electrically adjusted backwards, allowing the driver to look up through the large glass roof. Even the two front seats can be pushed forward from the rear if there is not enough legroom. The Brabus Smart #5 is a car that is a pleasure to drive.

Competition for the Classic Car Show?

Driving is the better choice in Milan, as it is easy to lose patience at the wheel in heavy traffic. The venues of the Design Week are spread across the entire city. Driving takes a lot of time. You usually head for old industrial halls that can only hold a few hundred people. They cannot compete with the exhibition halls in Munich, Paris or Detroit in terms of capacity. The car presentations in Milan are media events. The public should read about them at home.

Milan is en vogue because car shows have come under pressure. There are too many worldwide and the exhibitors here share the attention. The Geneva Motor Show is history. Detroit is a shadow of its former self and the Paris Motor Show is making a fresh start. The CES in Las Vegas is a good example of a turnaround. In the early days, the Consumer Electronics Show was dominated by flashing computer mice, massage chairs and blenders. Today, the trade fair at the beginning of the year in the Nevada desert is the hub for vehicle software, technology and driver assistance.

Design decides

For a number of manufacturers, platforms determine the technical framework data such as range and consumption for the entire model range. This makes design a differentiating feature. It is therefore not surprising that more and more car brands are discovering the Design Week in Milan for themselves. One of the first brands was probably the German-Chinese start-up Byton in 2018. The brand failed during the coronavirus pandemic due to a lack of funding.

Today, it is established brands such as Audi that are using the framework for themselves. Audi exclusive uses the example of an A6 Avant to show which options are available in terms of materials and colors for a customized interior.

Skoda focuses on sportiness and presents the top version of the Elroq. The RS version comes with all-wheel drive and a system output of 250 kW. However, it is not the values that are intended to inspire the public, but its design language with the name Modern Solid. The electric car is presented between large animal and plant sculptures by Italian artist Marcantonio.

Camping with the E-Car

Lexus calls its double screen in the LF-Z Electrified Back Butterfly concept car. "Lexus is presenting these exciting interpretations of the question of how future technologies will bring people, machines and mobility closer together at Milan Design Week 2025, one of the world's leading trade fairs for creative minds from all over the world," the press release states. Kia will be represented in Milan for the third year in a row. At the Museo della Permanente, it is showing works by French artist Philippe Parreno and the Japanese-British duo A.A. Murakami under the motto "Opposites United: Eclipse of Perceptions". The exhibition also represents the transformation in which the Korean car brand finds itself. In a second exhibition, "Transcend Journey", change is also the theme. The focus here is on the camping version of the PV 5 electric van. At CES 2024, Kia presented its Platform Beyond Vehicle vision for the future. The platform with the electric drive always remains the same, only the vehicle bodies change. The PV 5 is actually an angular van. But in the WKNDR (Weekender) version, it is designed to bridge the gap between everyday urban life and outdoor adventures at the weekend. Many manufacturers of electric cars are discovering camping as a niche for their vehicles, as it allows you to travel emission-free in nature and the battery in the ground ideally ensures energy autonomy. The Smart #5 also offers a camping mode in which all seats can be folded down to form a large sleeping area. An adapter in the charging port provides power for the electric grill or coffee machine. Who wants to look for parking spaces in the city center? (se)

European Brand Launch

ChangAn: Sustainable Mobility "In Europe, for Europe"

Secure and Compliant Authentication in Laboratories

Secure & Contactless User Authentication at GMP/GLP