Italy-based EV upstart Aehra grabbed some attention recently with the debut of its as-yet-unnamed SUV. That was just an exterior debut, however, which means it's now time to take a look inside this five-seat crossover with the crazy doors.
As you may have imagined, there's more craziness inside. With its combination butterfly/gullwing doors perched fully open, it's absolutely impossible to miss the single display spanning unbroken for the entire width of the dash. For that matter, it occupies a disturbing amount of space in front of the windshield, but fear not. This expansive screen has two purposes and as such, two settings. When driving, it's mostly retracted into the dash, leaving just the top portion visible with digital instruments and navigation information visible. Permanent digital displays for exterior side mirrors are mounted on either side.
When parked, the screen extends up to basically become a massive mobile office monitor. Or a mobile home theater system. Or a mobile meeting room. Aehra offers these suggestions and more for the configurable screen, but it's not the only screen in the dash. A smaller touchscreen mounted low serves as the control center for primary infotainment functions, and then there's the steering wheel. It's rather like Tesla with a yoke-themed wheel, though Aehra says it's an ode to both race cars and aircraft. Either way, the design makes room for another small screen on the upper wheel rim, showing basic vehicle info like speed and range.
Driver and passengers enjoy plenty of legroom thanks to the SUV's long wheelbase with short overhangs. The electric platform allows the floor to be completely flat, giving rear-seat passengers the ability to recline and stretch out for long journeys. Aehra will offer the SUV in either four-seat or five-seat configurations.
Gallery: Aehra SUV Interior Renderings
Specific details such as cubic feet for storage, headroom, or even screen size aren't yet offered. The SUV is still just a digital concept at this stage, but an Aehra spokesperson told Motor1.com that prototype construction would begin once suppliers and contractors for various subcomponents were confirmed. That's expected to happen early in the second quarter of 2022. In the meantime, the upstart says "substantial private funding" is secured.
If everything goes according to plan, Aehra will unveil the design for its second vehicle, a sedan, in February 2023. Customer deliveries are then slated for 2025.
