Abstract
Vehicle architecture is expected to change in the next years with the introduction of new electric drivetrain systems, but the evolution of car exterior proportions is still uncertain. For this reason, an investigation on purpose design for future electric vehicles is presented. Current trends in automotive design and new challenges in optimized positioning of electric components in car architecture are examined. Using the wheel size as key reference to measure car proportions, traditional and electric vehicles are compared to each other to study the impact of electrification on automotive design. Some relationships between vehicle packaging and exterior design evolution in future alternative cars are identified.