The organisers of London Motorexpo have announced that Michal Vlcek, a first-year student in the Vehicle Design department at London’s Royal College of Arts (RCA), has won the competition to design an innovative electric-powered car of the future.

RCA students were tasked with designing the electric vehicle of 2032, using the packaging advantages of an electric motor to move way from the formulaic styling of many modern-day passenger cars. The judges’ only other stipulation was that the concepts should be capable of accommodating four adults and their luggage.

Vlcek impressed the judges with the quality of his artwork and the lateral thinking of his ideas. The electric motors that power the car are installed within the wheels themselves to maximise interior space, and the rear lights are mounted on aerodynamic vanes that also help improve the car’s stability. Instead of traditional doors that can interrupt the car’s exterior lines, Michal’s design opts for an innovative hinged access at the nose to allow occupant access from the rear of the car.

Highly commended was the submission from Israel-born Nir Siegel. His design was for a quirky and petite city car, which places the driver in the centre of the cabin for maximum visibility, aided by an unusual diamond-pattern seating arrangement.

Graeme Carver, CEO of Motorexpo, commented, “Motorexpo is a celebration of all things automotive, from supercars to the latest electric and hybrid models, so it’s great to be able to commission some innovative concepts for the show.

“The creative talent displayed in this competition is a credit to the RCA and to the students themselves, who I’m sure have great careers in the motor industry mapped ahead of them. I have no doubt we will be seeing some of their designs made real at future Motorexpo events.”