Drive have been approached by Zenos Automobiles due to our expertise designing for a startup automobile firm. Zenos Automobiles’ marketing strategy concerned the design and construct of a variety of vehicles. The E10 idea marked the end result of an intense design and growth interval. Drive and Zenos labored hand-in-hand to put down the inspiration for a “light-weight, reasonably priced, enjoyable to drive” automobile, that fitted a brand new vary of thrilling and accessible sports activities vehicles.
The corporate founders Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, defined their distinctive market proposition and we extracted a number of key phrases that may outline their model. Drive needed to create a design language that may embody all of their aspirations, for a very new British sports activities automobile model. The E10 can be a mid-engined, carbon fibre tubbed automobile priced at lower than £25,000.
A challenges throughout the preliminary design course of was attaining the fragile stability between a pleasant, approachable look becoming the model values, with an exhilarating, light-weight monitor day automobile. With affordability in thoughts, Drive wished to focus on the innovation of the carbon composite materials and replicate the intelligence of the styling. The break up of panels, wings and tub permitting ease of manufacturing and decrease restore prices in comparison with the one clam mouldings used on competitor merchandise. Drive’s designers, working intently with engineers and composite producers Vivid Lite Buildings, developed the ultimate break down of components and assemblies.
The shut relationship between Drive and Zenos, and the openness of the administration group have been key to make sure that the design and enterprise wants aligned at each stage of he mission.
The general public’s response to the automobile’s design was measured by the 40 deposits taken from prospects earlier than that they had even seen it run. This justification of the product, solely raised the stress to ship on their promise to have the manufacturing mannequin prepared for January 2015. Drive and Zenos launched right into a fast manufacturing growth part delicate to the truth that the automobile’s look couldn’t alter considerably, however taking the chance to tune the automobile’s character and stability.
This part concerned working with suppliers on feasibility while guaranteeing manufacturing prices have been stored on track maintaining to the marketing strategy and funds. The key of the E10’s affordability relative to its efficiency, is off-the-shelf Ford elements engine, gearbox, and brakes. The modern composite tub comprised of recycled carbon fibre that provides 70 per cent of the lightness and stiffness of pure carbon-fibre for a tenth of the associated fee.
The inside’s design, constructed across the preferrred driving positon, the standard of the panels and match needed to exceed what can be anticipated on the vehicles value level. This method noticed Zenos Automobiles has take greater than 110 deposits and a primary 12 months manufacturing run being roughly 70. For Zenos’s founders Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, the E10 represents the end result of a dream.For Drive Design, it offers a cell showcase for its design methods for startup corporations trying to find the sort of collaborative, ground-up design method that solely Drive can ship.
“Drive fully believed in and understood our imaginative and prescient proper from the start. They dedicated themselves in each respect to creating the design of the E10, and helped us ship a automobile that appears unbelievable, nice dealing with and effectively engineered” Ansar Ali. The Zenos E10 mission is the essence of what we do at Drive. We perceive designing for a startup automobile firm like Zenos. We assist them take their concept by way of to manufacturing while understanding their enterprise wants.
