Inspired by electric Smart cars, the Eli Zero modernizes the micro-automobile with small but crucial innovations for a futuristic feel. Combined with a minimalistic interior and simple dashboard, this small but powerful car is a convenient alternative to a full-size vehicle.

Written by Maxim Sorokopud

A guiding principle of Eli Electric Vehicles is to bridge the gap between two- and four-wheel vehicles, with its micro-automobiles combining the nimbleness of motorcycles and the smoothness and stability of cars. After taking Europe by storm, the company is now branching out to the US market with a suitably larger new model of the Eli Zero.

The car brand Smart, which brought the compact electric vehicle to the masses, may have enjoyed strong sales in Europe for the last quarter century, but they’ve also received harsh criticism for their design, with their appearance being compared to “a baby’s pram crossed with a Pokémon” and other cruder things. This less-than-warm reception would discourage many from creating a similar product, but Eli Electric Vehicles has instead embraced the general concept of the Smart car’s shape, enacting a few small but crucial innovations with the proportions and angles. The result is a vehicle that subtly modernizes the clunky, boxy original concept into what feels like the year 2034. The diagonal shape of the doors may be the perfect example of how this electric vehicle is essentially the visual equivalent of the “20 minutes into the future” storytelling subgenre. By making these doors flow along the pod-like frame, the Eli Zero is saying that this is a streamlined reimagining of a familiar design. Some may still be put off by the Zero’s resemblance to Smart cars, but many more will appreciate that this is the concept done right.

The interior carries this theme, along with a page lifted from Apple’s minimalistic approach to design. The dashboard has few buttons and knobs, mainly consisting of a smooth surface with just two small screens, one behind the steering wheel and one that can be flipped shut into the dashboard, acting as the primary informational focal points, simplifying the driving experience in the process.

Despite these clearly well-thought-out design decisions, the Eli Zero will almost definitely divide public opinion, with those who think that cars should be macho scoffing at its compact size. Luckily, the rest of us, who can appreciate both the vision and the convenience that the Eli Zero offers, will find plenty of joy in seeing them whizz across cities.

Eli Electric Vehicles began after its founders successfully raised $5 million through crowdfunding, finding thousands of investors supporting their vision of redefining micro EVs. The pod-shaped, minimalist Eli Zero is the result of this investment.

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