Aehra, the new global ultra-premium electric automotive brand, has revealed the exterior design of its first model, an SUV. Presented to the global media in Milan, the radically different style of SUV represents the company’s vision of elegant futurism.
Aehra has been established to deliver a step-change in the design, customer, and ownership experience of ultra-premium electric vehicles (EVs). Headquartered in Milan, Aehra is a privately funded global company that disrupts the existing automotive ecosystem by distilling the values of Italian design, world-class engineering, and American customer service to leverage the advantages of next-generation EV powertrain packaging and technology.
The Aehra SUV features a lengthy 3-meter wheelbase, a radically low front end, and exceptionally short front and rear overhangs, presenting a design different from any other vehicle today. Striking, narrow, elongated headlights combine with LED lighting strips highlighting the outer edges of the lower air vents creating a unique visual signature; the SUV becomes even more attention-getting during the hours of darkness.
According to Aehra, every element of the SUV personifies the company’s determination to defy modern, mass-market automotive convention while holding steadfast to the pure values of classic Italian design. This sentiment is instantly evident in aspects such as the glassware, which appears to flow as a single piece from the front of the car and over the roof before sweeping down to the rear of the tailgate in an almost liquid-like fashion. It is also dramatically expressed in the stunning elytra-like doors. Opening skywards and providing optimum ease of entrance and egress to the spacious cabin that can accommodate four NBA-sized players comfortably, such features are normally the exclusive preserve of supercars.
“With the Aehra SUV, we have shunned the conservative constraints that have encumbered all other car manufacturers in their approach to designing EV vehicles. Instead, we have taken a highly courageous approach. And at Aehra, this mindset drives not just the design of our vehicles, but every aspect, including engineering, the layout of the interior, the state-of-the-art sustainable materials we use, and how we are redefining the entire customer journey,” said Filippo Perini, Aehra chief design officer.
“With the SUV, we have created a vehicle that goes far beyond the conventional standards set by the automotive industry for an SUV and have set new benchmarks for style and comfort. We have used a mono-body construction, which, while used widely in Italy in the past, is now normally reserved for supercars only. We have taken an equally radical approach to aerodynamics, which play a central role in the design, driving characteristics, and efficiency of the SUV.”
Groundbreaking flowing body
Using cutting-edge CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), which has an accuracy equal to and, in some respects, greater than those achieved in wind tunnels, Perini and his team have generated a groundbreaking flowing body that generates exceptional aerodynamic efficiency. The knowledge gained during this approach has been forensically applied to the design of the front and rear of the SUV to set optimum standards for aerodynamic drag reduction, cooling, and battery thermal management.
Aehra has adopted innovative aerodynamic management, with movable elements at the front and rear, which offer the thrill and promise of a sporty ride and, at the same time, improve active safety. These solutions also optimize the batteries’ drag coefficient and thermal management while increasing the car’s range.
Utilizing the full potential of ultra-advanced, exceptionally light, highly sustainable composite materials, including forged carbon fiber technologies, which have only come to the market in the last few years, further enhances the efficiency of the vehicle.
“The Aehra SUV represents a radical combination of cutting-edge sustainable materials, ultra-advanced EV technology, smart manufacturing technologies, pure Italian design, and of course, a seminal moment in our company’s history,” commented Hazim Nada, Aehra founder and CEO.
“Supremely comfortable, beautifully balanced, and graceful, the SUV ushers in a new era of EV style and sophistication and signifies the next successful milestone on Aehra’s strategic journey to a rollout of our sophisticated vehicles to global markets in 2025.”
The Aehra SUV measures 5.1 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 164 cm tall. It weighs about two tons. Wheel size is 23 inches (front) and 24 inches (rear) with 285/35 series tires. The power rating is 550-600kW with a limited top speed of 265 kph and a total drive range of over 800 km. Retail price is from $160,000-180,000.
In-car experience redefined
One of the most innovative and captivating features of the Aehra SUV’s cabin is the unique full-dashboard-width HMI (human machine interface) screen, which delivers a true step-change in entertainment and in-vehicle working.
When the SUV is in drive mode, the screen sits lower to display all the information the driver requires, such as speed, range, heating and ventilation settings, and navigational instructions. The two outer areas of the screen serve as virtual exterior mirrors, relaying high-definition images from two front exterior side cameras. When the vehicle is parked, occupants can extend the screen upwards, instantly transforming the Aehra into a home theater or an office environment.
This is a direct result of the game-changing approach taken by Aehra to the exterior shape of its first model. In traditional vehicle layouts, the interior dimensions do not allow the front-row passengers to operate such a flexible and expansive HMI screen because it would sit too close to their eyes. Aehra has filed a patent for this solution and believes it will set new standards for productivity and entertainment inside a vehicle.
“From the outset, the Aehra SUV, and the Saloon that we will unveil early next year, were designed as true products of the digital age to reflect and accommodate our customers’ modern and busy lifestyles,” explained Perini. “With the screen fully extended, the occupants can relax and enjoy a movie, perhaps when the car is charging or when a parent is waiting to pick up a child from school or a party. And for those with work to do, the screen and the spacious interior afford the perfect solution for video conference calls. Instead of staring at your smartphone or laptop, you can sit back and see all the participants on the call—in perfect high-definition clarity and listen to them with crystal-clear, pitch-perfect audio quality.”
A secondary, smaller oblong-shaped touchscreen is mounted in the center of the dashboard. Located between the driver and the passenger, it enables front-seat occupants to effortlessly control many of the vehicle’s functions, such as navigation, heating and ventilation, and entertainment.
The SUV has a distinctive, oblong-shaped yoke-like steering wheel with an Aehra logo. A proudly displayed Italian flag badge also denotes that Aehra is Italy’s first pure-play EV brand. A small digital strip inserted into the upper section of the steering wheel provides the driver with further key information.
Along with evoking a race-car-like ambiance, the yoke steering wheel also pays homage to Nada’s passion for the aeronautical industry. Like his fellow Aehra founder, and the company’s COO, Sandro Andreotti, Nada is a keen pilot and skydiver. Before launching Aehra, the pair founded Aero Gravity in Milan, Europe’s largest indoor vertical wind tunnel.
“A lot of what we have learned from the aeronautic industry has shaped the Aehra SUV’s body styling and its class-leading aerodynamic efficiency, and that influence very much extends inside the cabin, too,” explained Nada. “The exterior mono-body architecture enables us to create a unique dashboard that positions the HMI screen in a way that a traditional layout does not allow. The result is a real workstation or lounge experience for the front row passengers, with a similar setup to that people have become accustomed to working with at the office or enjoying at home.”
This approach is typified in the Aehra’s superior-quality front and rear seats. Aesthetically, the seats mirror bespoke items found in supercars and provide exemplary support for drivers who wish to exploit the SUV’s prodigious performance and ultra-agile handling to the full. However, much of the inspiration for the seats’ low-weight, high-strength construction, and optimum comfort levels also comes from the aeronautic industry.
The seats are constructed from aluminum, recyclable carbon fiber composite. It provides comfort normally reserved for passengers traveling in first-class aircraft accommodation. It’s even more evident for those sitting in the rear of the cabin. There, thanks to the exceptionally generous legroom, passengers can recline their seats, and with the Aehra SUV’s relaxing ride and ultra-low noise levels, they can catch up on some sleep during the journey. (Story and photos courtesy of Aehra)