The premium SUV segment is already packed with competitors, but Italian EV startup Aehra wants to leapfrog them all with the vehicle you see here. For now, it’s simply called the Aehra SUV and while it’s not the first SUV to have gullwing doors, it is the first to have gullwings. and butterfly door.
Aehra prefers to call it an elytra-like door, but whatever you choose to call it, the two fronts open and go forward while the back only goes up. The doors are without a doubt the most striking feature of the new electric SUV, although the ultra-thin side mirrors and short front/rear overhangs are also eye-catching.
The mirrors are inspired by racing motorcycles, and the sloping windshield blends into the roof which then sweeps back for a fastback vibe. The body pretty much ends with the SUV’s 118-inch wheelbase, culminating in what Aehra Chief Design Officer Filippo Perini calls a “bold approach.” Perini previously served as chief designer at Lamborghini, which certainly explains the interesting design.
Of course, its slick form is all about aerodynamic efficiency as well as appearance. How efficient it is is still unknown – details on power and range will come later – but this SUV incorporates active aero components at the front and rear to optimize performance, efficiency and safety. Aehra also uses composite materials liberally for the construction of the monobody SUV.
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“The Aehra SUV represents a radical combination of cutting-edge sustainable materials, ultra-advanced EV technology, intelligent manufacturing technology, pure Italian design and of course, a seminal moment in our company’s history,” said Aehra Founder and CEO Hazim Nada.
Aehra unveiled the exterior design of the SUV in Milan, where the company is headquartered. Plans are also being worked out for an electric sedan to follow, which will debut in February 2023. If all goes to schedule, the SUV and sedan will reach customers by 2025.
