An Italian EV startup called Aehra plans to launch a radical SUV with vertically-opening supercar-style doors front and rear.
The company got its first look at the vehicle, known simply as the Aehra SUV, in November, and this week we got a look at the inside.
The cabin of the SUV will be a spacious place thanks to a wheelbase of 118 inches. For comparison, the wheelbase of the full-size Cadillac Escalade is less than three inches longer. According to Aehra, four NBA players could comfortably fit in the SUV. Buyers can choose between four- and five-seat configurations.
At the front of the cabin is a screen that spans the width of the dashboard and is flanked on either side by a small screen that serves as a display for the camera-based side mirrors. This dashboard-wide screen can extend upwards when the vehicle is parked, transforming the cabin into a lounge or Zoom-style meeting room.
Aehra SUV concept
Aehra SUV concept
Aehra SUV concept
There’s also a small screen integrated into the rectangular steering wheel to display key driving information, as well as a tablet-like screen mounted in the center stack that serves as the main input hub for features like navigation, climate settings and infotainment.
Traditional materials like hand-stitched leather and carbon fiber can be found in other areas, while the seats are said to resemble those found in supercars. They are designed to not only be comfortable but also support when driving at high speed. The seats are made of aluminum and recycled carbon fiber and are upholstered in leather.
Aehra, whose design chief Filippo Perini wrote the Aventador and Huracán supercars while heading design at Lamborghini, is also working on a sedan. The sedan will be presented next spring.
Aehra plans to begin the process for its first round of external financing shortly and, if all goes according to plan, have the SUV and sedan in production towards the end of 2025. Key markets will be North America, Europe, China and the Gulf States.
