Honpe Technology's Archetype EV GT

Honpe Prototyping Technology introduced the ARCHETYPE EV, a concept car sharing a glimpse of how much we can achieve. Honpe is known for manufacturing high quality prototypes in record time, with a belief in the power of prototyping to drive innovation and revolutionize the industry.

The innovative high-end electric vehicle redefines the automotive luxury experience through the concept of Michael Robinson, a world-renowned leader in automotive design, this sedan captivates with its avant-garde sophistication, stylish design, and a visual presence setting an unmatched standard.

Designer Michael Robinson explains ARCHETYPE is a new direction in exciting electric passenger cars, revealing the design of a sensuously aerodynamic sedan.

The name ARCHETYPE comes from antique Greece, a Platonic concept of pure form, believed to embody the fundamental characteristic of a thing. A statement, pattern of behavior, a prototype, “first” form, or a main model that other statements, patterns of behavior, and objects copy, emulate, or “merge” into. The word archetype comes from the Greek word archetupon, which is formed from the verb archein (beginning, origin) and the noun typos (model, form). In ordinary language, the term means "the original form".

Some philosophers also translate the archetype as "essence", indicating the core of the idea. For this reason, the ARCHETYPE was designed to reflect the “essential” lines and proportions, leaving them as minimal as possible, unlike many overdesigned automobiles today.

The ARCHETYPE sedan is living proof that prototyping is getting faster every year, including full-size automobiles. I believe that prototyping is one of the most vital aspects of all product development, and is exactly the high-level, high-speed contribution HONPE Technology offers.

As one of the very first GT Limousines in the world, the ARCHETYPE is in fact “the original form”, ergo the exotic name. Plato's eidos, or ideas, were pure mental forms that were imprinted in the soul before they were born into the world. “In order to concentrate on ''the original form'', most of the lines on the exterior were eliminated wherever possible, and the interior was also reduced to a minimalist or “essential” set of elements, redefining the rules of luxury, previously recognized by excess lines, materials, and textures. Today, in the Digital Era, people bring their own forms of wellbeing with them, on their smartphones, iclouds, etc. The more, noisy visuals the factory (or designer) adds, the more confusion they create when people get in.”

It's important to recognize that by their very nature, prototypes represent some compromise from the final production design. This is due to not just the skill and choices of the designer(s), but the inevitable inherent limitations of a prototype due to the "map-territory relation". Just as a map is a reduced abstraction representing far more detailed actual territory, or "the menu represents the meal" but cannot capture all the detail of the actual delivered food: a prototype is a necessarily inexact and limited approximation of a "real" final product. The exterior design, when first seen, creates an instant attraction factor, thanks to the unusual proportions. The generous dimensions bring two opposing words together: the super low, super wide supercar meets the super long wheelbase of luxury limousines, formulating a most unique combination of excitement never seen before, in thermal or electric vehicles! The black-on-black exterior is characterized by integrated black windows, creating a “hewn from a solid” phenomenon, further reducing the visual noise in modern cars.

The generous dimensions are highly contrasting, matching a 5.25 meter sedan with an extremely low, 130cm overall height and a broad 2015cm overall width:

• Overall Length 5250mm
• Wheelbase 3305mm
• Overall Width 2015mm
• Overall Height 1300mm 

The side view looks like it was shaped in a wind tunnel, using the high-speed wind to sculpt the voluptuous form like the hands of a skilled artisan. The extremely short front overhang and the longer rear overhang are typical of aerodynamic sedans, as if the wind is tugging at the tail, stretching it out accordingly. The centerline wraps from nose to tail in a single, undisturbed arc. Only the front fenders rise above the high-speed centerline, generating a sensuous touch compared to most supercars. Even the cowl of the windshield is perfectly flush with the bodywork, thanks to a mobile spoiler which lifts at speed allowing the wipers to work. All superfluous elements have been removed: like the windshield wipers (hidden under an extractable spoiler), door handles (now voice activated), and rear-view mirrors (hidden in the front fenders, automatically deployed when needed). The extra-wide rear fenders flare out to embrace the oversized tires, giving the car a powerful stance for visual and physical road stability. The subtle rocker panel rises to connect visually with the rear bumper, giving the car an extra push forward from below. The front end is characterized by the total lack of a grille. All the cooling air for the batteries comes in under the front bumper. The headlights are positioned on the front fender swells that raise up above the tiny hood which continues the giant windshield surface. The ultra-thin LED lights have a long “L” shaped DRL that wraps horizontally across the front. The 21” wheels have a very clean modern design. The rear end has a long fastback configuration with a razor-edged aerotail which lowers the Cx (increasing battery autonomy while reducing C02 emissions). The rear window is split window, with the third stoplight positioned in the middle, like a virtual backbone of the vehicle. The taillights are three dimensional, protruding out from the body, with micro-function LEDs that illuminate the red outer transparent shell. The average sized trunk lid is fully integrated into the tail, and when open, uncovers an unexpectedly large storage space inside.

The opposing doors with no center pillar on the ARCHETYPE are not a new concept, born back in the 1930s, but they do offer a special invitation to enter this futuristic mobile living room. High-class villas always have similar double doors, welcoming guests into their spectacular interiors. The lack of door handles is yet another step into the digital era, replacing classic mechanical components with electronic domotics. Smart homes are rapidly being transformed into effortless service features all managed by AI systems.

The first thing that strikes the eye in the interior is the incredible space between the front and rear seats. Normally rear seat passengers must use contortionist moves to climb in behind the driver. Here the first-class seats in the rear are fully reclinable, offering a fold-out leg rest for maximum comfort. The light warm colors in the interior are a powerful contrast to the full, black-on-black exterior. Light colors expand our visual perception while dark colors contract spatial volume. The seats all have ultra-thin structures thanks to advanced materials, making them not only extremely lightweight (which increases battery autonomy), but it also makes them 100% recyclable. HONPE Technology is extremely attentive to circular economy opportunities.

The anatomical shapes in each seat offer premium ergonomics for all body types. The flat floor is typical of modern EV skateboard chassis designs, offering more energy storage space below for added autonomy, plus greater flexibility upstairs in the living room. Between the seats there are two floating consoles, cantilevered out over the traditional wall in the center of every car today. Here visual lightness was the goal, offering space rather than weight. Each console contains all the necessary controls for the passengers, that no longer need to reach out to touch the instrument panel. Each passenger has the car at his or her fingertips, making life easy. The rotational trackpad controls the cursor on the screen, making shortcuts to commands while driving or relaxing. The armrest opens-up for storage and the cantilever structure holds the drinks and glasses.

The instrument panel is a floating wing structure, ultra lightweight, with basically only air vents and a tiny screen in the center, with two retractable rear view mirror screens at the base of each A Pillar. The imagery in these screens comes from the retractable rear-view cameras on either side of the car. The goal is to reduce to the max, making sure you get whatever you need, whenever you need it. Otherwise, zip! It disappears! The steering wheel is yet another step towards the digital era, all drive-by-wire, without all the heavy mechanicals that connect traditional steering wheels to the front tires. The rectangular shape is closer to a formula one racecar than to a luxury limousine, because it constantly recalibrates the turning radius 5 times a second, according to the context outside and the driver input inside. This means you will never need to turn the steering wheel more than 90 degrees (most cars today turn 972 degrees to 1152 degrees or 2.7 to 3.3 full rotations!). The information screen is now mounted directly onto the steering wheel since it is no longer necessary to turn it round and round. This means you can easily read things like the speedometer, battery levels, GPS maps and warning lights while turning the wheel slightly thru traffic. Driver function buttons are places on the vertical sides of the screen, making them easily reachable with your thumb while keeping your hand on the wheel. The outer cover of the steering wheel is covered in soft leather while the inside is made of highly resistant ceramics.

In conclusion, there are many interesting suggestions for future production cars here in this design exercise. Many of them are simple provocative thoughts rather than complete solutions. This is the role of all thought-provoking concept cars. There's no time for in-depth feasibility studies or material certifications when you produce an entire automobile in just 45 days. Most companies have a handful of sketches in this timeframe.