Philippe Starck-designed electric car to launch in Geneva
Starck said the “V+ by Starck” model “returns to the minimalist definition of a vehicle”. — AFP picGENEVA, Feb 22 — Legendary designer Philippe Starck is to launch an electric vehicle at next month’s Geneva Motor Show (March 8-18).
The designer, famed for furniture and interior design projects, will unveil a new electric car project on the show’s Green Pavilion, organisers confirmed last week.
Although the model remains tightly under wraps, it is believed to have been developed in conjunction with Seychelles-based electric vehicle manufacturer Volteis.
In a statement on the Volteis website, Starck said that the “V+ by Starck” model “returns to the minimalist definition of a vehicle”.
An obscured image of the V+ appears to suggest a similar shape to the Volteis X2 and X4, small-wheeled “buggy” type models that are designed to manage 60km between charges and feature a removable soft top.
However, the models aren’t designed for everyday use on the roads, and the square design suggests a vehicle that wouldn’t look out of place on a golf course — making it a tough sell for a Geneva crowd used to the big-budget, futuristic electric vehicle designs of firms such as Nissan and Toyota.
It will be interesting to see whether Starck — the man behind designs ranging from London’s Sanderson Hotel to Paris’s Café Costes and Alessi’s Juice Salif cult juicer — will be able to work his magic with Volteis’s vehicles to create a crowd-pleaser at the Swiss show. — AFP/Relaxnews
